Tiger found dead in PTR, 27th since 2012

Pilibhit: An adult male tiger, estimated to be between six and seven years old, was found dead near the Dhamela watchtower in Mala forest range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Saturday. This is the 27th tiger death since 2012.A forest patrol team spotted the tiger lying immobile and alerted senior officials. The death was confirmed around 8 pm after forest personnel reached the spot and retrieved the carcass.PTR field director Pinaki Prasad Singh and officiating divisional forest officer Bharat Kumar DK, along with range officer Robin Kumar Singh, inspected the carcass. Officials said there were no external injuries and the canines and claws were intact. The carcass was sent to Bareilly-based Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) for postmortem on Sunday.Forest officials said canine distemper, a contagious viral disease affecting carnivores and often transmitted by feral dogs or jackals, is suspected as a possible cause. As the carcass was found near a water body and about 2km from human habitation, poisoning was initially suspected. However, IVRI veterinarians said preliminary examination did not indicate poisoning."IVRI experts collected samples for testing for canine distemper (CD), as it is suspected as a possible cause of death. If the report is positive, we will ensure vaccination of dogs in villages near the reserve to prevent transmission to wild carnivores," the field director said.Official records show that between May 24, 2012, and June 1, 2024, about 26 tiger deaths were reported in the district. No tiger deaths were recorded in 2024-25 and 2025-26. The latest case is the 27th since 2012.In addition, 16 leopard deaths were recorded between March 3, 2018, and Dec 31, 2024.The number of tiger deaths in Pilibhit since 2012 exceeds the current tiger population in several reserves across the country, including Dampa in Mizoram (0), Buxa in West Bengal (1), Palamau in Jharkhand (1), Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh (1), Similipal in Odisha (16), Sariska in Rajasthan (19), and Kalakad Mundanthurai in Tamil Nadu (5).