The tiger count may have shown a 30 per cent increase in the country according to the latest census figures, but the number of big cat deaths has also gone up. According to official figures given by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday, the number of tiger deaths went up to 78 in 2014 as compared to 68 in 2013. The deaths were due to poaching as well as natural causes.
Alarmingly, in 2015, as many as 12 tiger deaths have already been reported from various parts of the country. Six deaths have been reported from Karnataka alone, followed by three from Tamil Nadu besides one each from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. These cases are still being probed and their details are awaited.
However, elephant and rhino mortality rates in the country have come down in 2014. From 91 in 2013, the figure of jumbo deaths came down to 63 in 2014. Similarly, rhino deaths have also come down from 142 to 91 during the same period.
According to the Environment Minister, strict vigil is being maintained by officials of State Departments of Forests and Wildlife while the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is co-ordinating with various States to control poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its products. The CBI has been empowered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 to apprehend and prosecute offenders, he said.
As per figures released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, at 15, Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of tiger deaths in 2014, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 14.
Eight tiger deaths were reported from Uttarakhand and six each from Maharashtra, Assam and Karnataka. Three each died in Bihar and Kerala followed by two in Uttar Pradesh while one death was reported from Andhra Pradesh.
Of the total tiger deaths, four resulted from infighting, two were shot dead by policemen, one each died of pneumonia and natural death, while the rest of the deaths were due to poaching.
According to Government figures, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau arrested 1,252, 1,399 and 753 people respectively in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In an effort to discourage illegal wildlife trade, Javadekar had set fire to a stockpile of 42,000 illegal animal parts in November last year.
These included skins of tigers, leopards, reptiles, elephant tusks, rhino horns and other materials. Furthermore, the sensitive India Nepal border across Uttarakhand is being watched by SSB commandoes working in close coordination with local communities to check illegal wildlife trade and their transportation. Efforts are also on to speed up trials related to wildlife cases pending in the courts to ensure prosecution of criminals.
Meanwhile, in a written response to a question in the lok Sabha on Tuesday, Javadekar said that the number of cases received by the National Green Tribunal from the time of its establishment, till January 31 this year, is 7,768. The number of cases disposed till January 31 is 5,167 while 2,601 cases were still pending.