Alarming cases of tiger deaths and hunting incidents in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and its surrounding forest divisions have been reported by a top official.
A report by the forest department based on an order by in-charge Principal Conservator of Forests Shubh Ranjan Sen in March this year – accessed by NDTV now – sheds light on a concerning surge in tiger deaths in the state.
The report uncovered shocking details of negligence and procedural lapses in handling tiger cases, raising serious concerns about the state of wildlife conservation in the region. Known as the 'Tiger State', Madhya Pradesh is home to some of the highest concentrations of tigers in the country.
The order by Mr Sen, which led to the report, had highlighted severe negligence in handling tiger cases, prompting the formation of a special committee to investigate tiger deaths from 2021 to 2023.
The members of the three-people committee to look into tiger deaths were Indian Forest Service officer Ritesh Sonfia, Chairman, Principal Officer State Tiger Strike Force; Dr Kajal Jaiswal, Assistant Professor, School of Wildlife Forensics and Health, Jabalpur, and Archana Joshi, Advocate and Wildlife Officer, Katni.
The Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve covering 1,536.93 sqkm is known for its high tiger density and diverse wildlife, including spotted deer, sambar, and leopards. The reserve's staff includes a field director, a deputy director, three assistant directors, a wildlife medical officer, 11 forest range officers, a field biologist, 13 assistant forest range officers, 28 forest guards, 130 foresters, a drone operator, 128 permanent staff, and 605 temporary or contractual rangers.
The report identified major causes of tiger deaths over the past three years, including electrocution, conflict, disease, old age, organ capture, poisoning, road accidents, and uncertain causes.
The reserve reported these details – 12 tigers died in 2021, nine in 2022 and 13 in 2023. The highest mortality was seen in the Manpur buffer zone, followed by Tal, Magadhi, and Khitauli core areas. There was an overall increase in mortality in 2023.
The report uncovered shocking details of negligence and procedural lapses, as videography of postmortems was not conducted in all cases. The policy of record (POR) was not maintained in most cases.
There was an absence of prescribed veterinarians for postmortems, and most parameters were not followed. Efforts to protect crime scenes were inadequate, and dog squads or metal detectors were not used.
Sample collection and sealing were poorly handled, affecting the chain of custody during court cases. Case diaries or documentation were often not prepared. The final National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) reports were not submitted in several cases by both Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Shahdol Forest Range officials.
Many cases of tiger deaths were superficially classified as infighting without a thorough investigation. Postmortem reports often lacked signatures from the veterinary officers concerned, and in some instances, no wildlife medical officer was present.
Tiger population in the Bandhavgarh reserve increased from 63 in 2014 to 165 in 2022. However, this increase has been accompanied by a concerning rise in tiger deaths. The report highlighted a growing number of developmental activities that led to an increase in conflicts and fatalities among tigers.
The report found that the increased tiger population forces young and old tigers to move out of core areas into human-populated regions, where they prey on livestock. This has escalated human-tiger conflict incidents.
Developmental activities such as road construction, building projects, and resorts in and around Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve are reducing tiger habitats. This habitat loss is contributing to increased territorial conflicts and poaching incidents.
