6 Nov 2019



Madhya Pradesh has recorded the highest number of tiger deaths in five years, 11 in the first 10 months of a year, according to state forest department officials.

The deaths have alarmed forest officials. This year, MP re-emerged as the state with the highest number of tigers in the country after eight years. According to the 2018 All India Tiger Estimation report released in July, MP has 526 tigers followed by Karnataka (524). Officials said that the report has boosted tourism in the state .

The latest big cat death was reported from MP’s Vindhya region, where villagers allegedly poisoned a tigress near Sanjay Tiger Reserve after blaming it for attacking their cattle. The carcass of T-20, the tigress, was found on October 28 and seven villagers were arrested for the killing, a forest department official said on condition of anonymity.

A second forest department official, who too spoke on condition of anonymity, said that of the 11, at least nine tigers and tigresses were poached, electrocuted or poisoned in 2019.

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