The passing year experienced nine striped felines in Madhya Pradesh, which once had tag of tiger State. The highest number of tiger deaths was reported from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve where a total of five striped felines died in this year.
Contrary to the State forest officials claim that most of the striped felines died either in territorial fights or natural death whereas one tiger was killed by the poachers in Katni a National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) report says that many tiger deaths in Madhya Pradesh are suspicious and investigations are going on to find out the real cause of death.
The first death of the cub in the year was reported from Panna Tiger Reserve on February 2. An adult tiger killed the cub in Panna while the last death of tiger was reported from Bandhavgarh on November 12. One tiger died in Kanha Tiger Reserve while the death of one tiger was reported from Pench Tiger Reserve.
Earlier, in the last tiger census report of 2011, the State had lost its tiger state tag to Karnataka. According to that census report MP had 257 big cats while striped animal population was pegged at 300 in Karnataka. After the last census report, MP was trying hard to regain the tiger state status.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Narendra Kumar said that except one tiger that was electrocuted by poachers in Katni, no striped animal had been poached in MP. About NTCA's remark that six deaths of tiger were under investigation in the state, he said that such observation was made when the authority was not fully satisfied with the state's reports. "We will satisfy them with our investigation report," he added.
Kumar said that patrolling was being done round-the-clock in the reserves adding that forest department has also set up a cyber cell to keep a watch on poachers. He said that after a poacher or a suspect was detained, his phone records are checked and examined. "This help us a lot to check poaching," he said.