Madhya Pradesh, which reclaimed the Tiger State tag by reporting 526 big cats in the 2018 Census, continued to record a high tiger mortality rate with 43 deaths in 2021, including 19 outside protected areas (PAs), 21 tigers. Inside the reserve there are three more. body parts attack.
In the same period, Karnataka, which had followed closely with 524 tigers in its 2018 count, lost only 15, nearly a third of the deaths reported by MP.
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Madhya Pradesh ended the year on a big disappointing note as the state lost two tigers in the General Administered Forest Areas at Dindori and Chhindwara last week. In these cases, electrocution and poisoning are the reasons behind the death of big cats. According to data compiled by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), last year, the state had lost 26 tigers, while the death count in 2019 stood at 28.
death count
To a question asked in the MP Assembly in the recent winter session, Forest Minister Vijay Shah said that the state lost a total of 30 tigers in 2020, of which 21 were killed inside the PA and 11 outside. There were two incidents of seven poaching inside tiger reserves and outside these protected areas. The reply said the state has lost a total of 41 tigers, including 25 fatalities inside the PA and 16 outside, with a total of 11 poaching incidents in the year till December 7.
Adding the deaths in Dindori and Chhindwara, the state’s total tiger mortality rate rises to 41 as of December 29, 2021.
The reply also said that since 2018, a total of 11 tigers have been poached, two have died of poison, six have died of electrocution and 50 have died among themselves. The North confirmed the presence of about 323 of these areas inside tiger reserves, adding that the inputs were taken from the 2018 census by the Indian government. Bandhavgarh had the highest number of tigers at 104, followed by Kanha at 88 and Pench Tiger Reserve with 61.
Interesting answer of the Forest Minister on fixing the responsibility of the officials in the death of tigers: No officer was found guilty of negligence, so the question of action against anyone does not arise.
Responding to a question on 38 tiger deaths in MP, the minister mocked the question, saying that tigers usually live for 11-12 years and since there are 526 tigers in the state, up to 40-45 deaths are one Not there. grave concern. He said that the number of tigers in the state has increased and the number of tigers in Madhya Pradesh may be around 650.
Painting yet another dismal figure of declining tiger numbers in MP, the Forest Minister had said in another question in the Assembly that the state had lost a total of 85 tigers in the last four years. The toll includes 32 cubs who died in the same period.
NTCA figures show that the state lost 202 tigers between 2012 and 2020.
The minister’s statement was widely criticized but a senior official argued with similar views.
interval
Retired IFS officer and the man who revived the tiger population in Panna after being completely wiped out a decade ago, RS Murthy told News18 that tigers have an average mortality rate of 10%. As numbers increase, the death rate is bound to rise, he argued, adding that as hunting incidents also occur, the emphasis should be on strengthening protections for big cats. He said that continuous efforts of 25-30 years in conservation have shown results in terms of tiger population.
When asked about tigers coming out of the PA and being killed, Murthy said that these kittens naturally roam in search of new areas and regularly interact with the divisional forest officials to ensure their safety outside the PA. There is a need to hold meetings so that local people can be made aware to reduce human-animal conflict.
Many tigers are falling prey to electrified wire nets set up by local poachers to capture wild boars and other animals. Field volunteers say that some of them are also consuming poison. Tigers also often unintentionally come into contact with electric fences, which farmers erect to keep wild animals away from crops. NTCA had in the past proposed a solar fencing project to reduce tiger losses but it has not made much progress.
assessment of reality
A senior wildlife activist who has been working in Madhya Pradesh for years told News18 on condition of anonymity that once the tiger population increases, the death rate is bound to rise, but added that there is no patrolling by the forest department. Its being done. Asked whether the department has the necessary professional approach, the activist said that most training and briefings are limited to PowerPoint presentations that have little significance for field conservation efforts.
On development of natural corridors to ensure hassle-free movement of big cats, the volunteer said that wild animals have their own corridors and humans just need not stop them. Referring to human-animal conflicts, the activist explained that the villagers living on the edge of the forest want tiger reserves to be surrounded, which is an impractical and illogical idea, as it is the villages that need fencing.
The volunteer said, “This does not give the department an idea of what budget budget should be spent on this and the project may even go to the revenue department, which, due to vested interests in such undertakings, is the decision-makers.” is related to.” Improvements are not visible and the state of wildlife conservation is deteriorating. Inadequate monitoring of tigers was also highlighted on occasions.
Two radio collared tigers have also died due to electrocution in the buffer zone of the Panna reserve, which worries volunteers as these big cats are considered watchdog animals and stay away from poachers. A total of three tigers were radio collared as part of a project by PTR and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to study cat behaviour, natural corridors and other aspects of the big cat community.
In the same November, the burnt skin, hair and collar ID (tracking system) of a tigress, identified as T-30, was found near Banjari village (outside the reserve area) in the Sarai Western range of the forest in Singrauli. District.
Giving more details about tigers moving out of the PA and coming into conflict with humans, senior journalist and wildlife expert Lalit Shastri said that many officials serving in the wildlife wing of MP Forest Department confirmed that tigers were killed. Basic hunting base. is cattle. Earlier forest dwellers lived in protected areas and once they were taken out, tigers also followed them to hunt and kill. Due to this, humans and animals often cross each other’s paths, he said.
In normally administered forests, uninterrupted exploitation is making things as ugly as illegal stone mining and sand quarrying, operations that have no boundaries. Besides, careless collection of forest minor produce is also making a dent in these areas, Shastri said, adding that to collect things like tendu patta, sal seeds and mahua, locals clear the forest surface by burning a specific area. Which makes collection very easy. On the menace of poaching, he said that the Pardis, traditional hunters, continue to pose a threat to wildlife in MP, but the state government has made hardly any effort to provide them with education or alternative livelihoods over the years. Organized poaching may not be rampant in the state, but they can certainly take help from local aid.
He said that the Forest Rights Act is widely misused and the forest management practices prescribed for the area directors of large scale tiger reserves are rarely followed.
In the last few years, the tiger population has increased outside the protected areas. Commonly administered forest areas in many parts of the state are also emerging as fresh tiger habitats.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Wildlife Warden Alok Kumar did not respond to messages and calls on the status of tiger conservation in the state and the high mortality rate this year.
big blow
According to a report by the Wildlife Protection Society of India, there has been a 48% increase in the mortality rate of tigers in the country as compared to the year 2020, when 111 deaths were recorded. Till Tuesday, the country had reported 164 tiger deaths, including one in Pench (Maharashtra) this year. WPSI Central India Director Nitin Desai termed it as a setback for the tiger population and said that they have not yet analyzed the state-wise data. independent source.
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Although the MP has reported a high death rate in the year 2021, the forest minister told the assembly in the winter session about extensive conservation efforts, including all-weather patrols on foot, elephants and vehicles. Retired soldiers also engage in this work throughout the year. Suspicious persons are monitored to trace electrified wire nets and power lines are inspected jointly with power officials. The network of informers is also ready and tiger cells meet at the district level. Sniffer dogs are deployed for patrolling, which is also monitored by the M-Strips protocol. The government is prioritizing linking of natural forest corridors between saturated wildlife areas to boost tiger conservation, the forest department has listed among a battery of measures.
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