A tiger’s skeleton was recently discovered in the core area of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district, bringing the total number of tiger deaths in the state to 42 this year. The remains were found during monsoon patrolling in the Majhkheta beat under the Tala range on Thursday.
According to officials, senior reserve officials, including the field director and deputy director, immediately visited the site along with a wildlife health officer and other personnel. A dog squad was deployed to search the area, and a metal detector was used to examine the skeleton.
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve field director Anupam Sahay stated that the tiger was approximately six years old and likely died over a month ago in the deep core area. The discovery of the skeleton coincided with the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s directive to the state government to implement measures for tiger protection, as part of a public interest litigation.
The latest tiger death has raised concerns among wildlife activists, with Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) L Krishnamoorthy confirming that it was the 42nd tiger death reported in the wild in the state this year. Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey expressed his distress over the news, stating that 42 tiger deaths in six months were devastating.
Madhya Pradesh is home to the highest number of tigers among all states in the country, with 785 tigers recorded in the 2022 tiger census. Last year, the state reported 55 tiger mortalities.
The recent tiger death has highlighted the need for effective conservation efforts to protect the state’s tiger population.
