Tiger found dead in Panna reserve; third in three months
An adult male tiger was found dead in the core area of the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Saturday, marking the third tiger death reported in the reserve in the past three months and raising fresh concerns over wildlife monitoring and conservation in one of Madhya Pradesh’s most prominent tiger habitats.
The carcass was discovered by a forest department patrol team during routine surveillance in a remote hilly area of the Brijpura Beat under the Kishangarh Core Range. According to officials, forest personnel initially assumed the tiger was resting after spotting it lying motionless in the dense forest. However, when the animal showed no movement for a considerable time, the team became suspicious.
Following standard protocol, the patrol team first observed the tiger through binoculars from a safe distance. After confirming that there was no movement, officials trekked nearly three to four kilometres from the nearest motorable road to reach the spot. On examination, they found the tiger dead and immediately informed senior officers.
Panna Tiger Reserve Deputy Director Virendra Kumar Patel said a preliminary inspection indicated that all body parts of the tiger were intact, suggesting there was no immediate evidence of poaching. Officials also found no visible external injuries, wounds or signs of a territorial fight with another wild animal.
Patel said the inspection of the surrounding area also revealed no indications of suspicious human activity or interference. Although the forest department is treating the case as a suspected natural death at this stage, he stressed that the exact cause of death can only be determined after the post-mortem examination and forensic analysis are completed.
The tiger’s carcass has been sent for post-mortem, and biological samples have been collected for forensic examination. Forest officials said all possible angles are being investigated before reaching any final conclusion.
The latest incident has added to growing concerns over tiger mortality in the reserve. Earlier this year, the decomposed skeleton of a male tiger was found near the roadside in the Gangau area several days after its death, raising questions over surveillance and timely monitoring within the reserve.
In another incident, a young male tiger rescued from Tara village died under suspicious circumstances despite being fitted with a radio collar for continuous monitoring. That death had also prompted an internal inquiry.
With three tiger deaths reported within a span of three months, conservationists are expected to closely monitor the outcome of the ongoing investigation. While forest authorities maintain that there is no prima facie evidence of foul play in the latest case, the repeated deaths have once again brought the effectiveness of monitoring and protection measures in the Panna Tiger Reserve under scrutiny.
