Another tiger found dead in Kanha

Bhopal: With another tiger death reported from Kanha Tiger Reserve, the number of tiger deaths in Madhya Pradesh this year has risen to 34, raising fresh concerns over wildlife safety. Kanha alone now accounts for eight tiger deaths -- the highest among all tiger reserves in the state.

A male tiger aged around 5-6 years was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Mukki range of Kanha Tiger Reserve on Tuesday. The carcass was discovered in compartment No. 156 of Mohgaon beat during a monitoring operation launched after forest officials received information about an injured and ailing tiger in the area.

Senior forest officials, wildlife veterinarians and field staff rushed to the spot and secured the area following National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocol. A dog squad was also deployed to examine the site.

According to officials, the post-mortem revealed injury marks on the tiger’s body along with signs of lung infection. However, all body parts, including canines, claws and whiskers, were found intact, ruling out the possibility of poaching. Viscera and tissue samples have been preserved for forensic examination to determine the exact cause of death.

Forest authorities said canine distemper virus (CDV) -- which was linked to the deaths of four tiger cubs and a tigress in Kanha last month -- does not appear to be the immediate cause in the latest case. Officials added that the final cause of death will be confirmed only after detailed forensic and laboratory reports are received. The latest incident has once again put the spotlight on rising tiger mortality in Kanha.

Following the recent CDV outbreak, forest authorities had quarantined nearly two square kilometres of the affected forest area, vaccinated dogs in eight nearby villages and temporarily sealed water sources in the infected zone to prevent the spread of infection to other wildlife species.