According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), 126 tigers perished in India in 2021. Madhya Pradesh had the highest number of tiger deaths with 44, followed by Maharashtra (26) and Karnataka (21). (14). In response to media reporting on the fatalities, the Centre stated that an average of 98 tigers die each year (2012–2021). According to news sources, 60 of the 126 deaths occurred outside of the protected regions due to poaching, accidents, and human-animal conflict.
According to the fourth round of the assessment conducted in 2018, India’s estimated tiger population is 2,967, an increase from the previous estimate of 2,226 tigers in 2014. In terms of tiger numbers, MP tops the states (526). Karnataka came in second with 524 tigers, followed by Uttarakhand with 444 tigers. While India’s tiger conservation efforts are commendable, many experts believe the true death toll is likely to be greater because many deaths go unrecorded.
Tiger mortality increased by 48 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to the Wildlife Protection Society of India.There were 111 tiger fatalities in 2020 and 164 tiger deaths in 2021. Tiger fatalities are a known issue because 35 percent of tiger ranges are outside of protected areas.Land is under enormous development pressure, resulting in habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation.
This rising figure is concerning.
As promised by the government, the NTCA must undertake a thorough inquiry and make the findings public. To safeguard the protection of big cats, the federal government and state governments must take actions to secure wildlife habitats and corridors, as well as decrease man-animal conflict.
