MP lost 8 big cats after regaining tag of ‘Tiger State’
19 Dec 2019 12:02:55
Staff Reporter :
After regaining its tag of ‘Tiger State’, Madhya Pradesh has lost about 8 tigers for several reasons within four months. Recently, forest officials were put on toes after week-long-old carcass was found in buffer zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve. Autopsy suggested that the tiger had died of electrocution. The incident happened in Mangli beta of Motinala buffer zone of the reserve that raised hackles of wildlife and experts. Autopsy suggested that the male leopard was electrocuted when it came in contact with live electric wire set up by the poachers. Forest team seized the carcass of tiger and sent sample for further post mortem. Forest Department has also arrested a few villagers to investigate the case.
On December 11, a three-year-old tiger was found dead in Khawasa range of South Forest Circle of Seoni. The carcass was found very close to a nullah at Khandasa Road under Khawasa Beat. Locals of the area spotted carcass and made the new viral on social media. Forest Department was informed about the incident through social media and immediately sent team to seize the carcass. Samples have been taken for post-mortem report. On November 6, a male tiger at Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) killed and ate half body parts of cub.
The half-eaten body part of the one-year-old cub was found by patrolling team in Rounda beat of the reserve. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, reserve officials said that tigers are polygamous in nature and they mate all through the year but in opposite to this tigress go into seclusion for around eight weeks after giving birth to cubs. During this period of isolation when tigress bound herself busy with the cubs, tiger kill the cubs to mate again with the tigress. On October 18, about fifteen-day-old carcass of tigress was found in suspicious condition in Chirchiri Kho area of Khokhara jungle under Sanjay Tiger Reserve, district Sidhi. The carcass was identified as tigress T-20 that was found missing from her territory for a few days. When forest officials track the location of tigress through collar id, her carcass was found in decomposing condition. On September 24, a one-year-old tiger cub was found dead in Khitoli range of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) under District Umaria.
This was the second litter cub of T-24 died in territorial fight with the male tiger. The tigress fought with the male tiger along with two cubs. She saved the two cubs and absconded from the place. Despite several awareness campaigns across India to save big cat, at least 15 tigers have died in Madhya Pradesh in past six months out of which five have been died of electrocution. If we look into State-wise data, 70 tigers have died in Madhya Pradesh in past two years and four months. Since January 1, 2019 to May 13, there are 15 tiger death cases and most of deaths have been happened in conserved areas. Out of this, in three cases, one tiger has killed and eaten up the other. The five tiger electrocution cases were held in Dindori, North Shahdol, Pench Tiger Reserve and Satna forest.