Maha orders dog vaccination drive around tiger reserves

Chandrapur: Maharashtra's chief wildlife warden has directed field directors of all tiger reserve across the state to launch mass vaccination drives for domestic and stray dogs in villages surrounding tiger reserves after the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) flagged canine distemper virus (CDV) as a serious threat to wild carnivores following a recent tiger family wipeout in Madhya Pradesh. The NTCA advisory, issued on May 5, was prompted by the confirmed CDV-linked deaths of a tigress and her 4 sub-adult cubs within nine days at Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The virus, spread primarily through domestic and feral dogs, does not always kill tigers directly but suppresses immunity and leaves animals, particularly cubs and sub-adults, vulnerable to fatal secondary infections.Acting on the advisory, chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) M Srinivasa Reddy issued a statewide directive the same day, ordering field directors to establish vaccination buffers around tiger reserves, buffer zones, fringe settlements and tourism corridors. Each tiger reserve has been asked to prepare village-wise vaccination plans listing estimated dog populations, vaccination dates, veterinary officer in charge and follow-up schedules. Reserve authorities have been directed to co-ordinate with Animal Husbandry Department, gram panchayats and zilla parishads for vaccination and health monitoring of dogs. Movement of domestic and stray dogs into tiger reserves, protection camps and tourism routes is to be monitored and restricted as far as possible. Frontline staff, including forest guards, foresters and protection camp personnel, are to be trained to identify early signs of the disease in wild animals and dogs. A detailed action taken report is due within 15 days, followed by monthly compliance updates to enable consolidated reporting to NTCA.