14th July 2017

Wildlife activists have accused Indian authorities of a culture of secrecy around steadily rising tiger deaths.

At least 67 tigers have died this year - many as a result of conflict with humans, including poachers, they say.

"There is no transparency in these matters," Theodore Baskaran, a former trustee of WWF-India, told the BBC.

India is home to 60% of the world's tigers but they face increasing habitat loss and demand for their body parts in China and other parts of Asia.

Senior officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) confirmed to the BBC that the bodies of 58 tigers had been recovered between January and June this year, as well as body parts from nine other tiger fatalities.

Karnataka state in the south recorded 14 deaths, more than any other, while the central state of Madhya Pradesh accounted for 13.

"Wildlife activists are alarmed mainly because of the secrecy surrounding the deaths. Also there is no co-ordination between researchers and the forest department," Theodore Baskaran said.

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