MADURAI: The poaching of a three-year-old tigress has set alarm bells ringing for the state forest department. Though the gang has been arrested and the tiger skin seized, the fact that forest officials could do little to prevent poaching is a cause for concern. The incident came to light at a time when Tamil Nadu has reported the highest number of tiger deaths in the country this year.
According to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), out of the 26 tiger deaths reported across the country this year, seven are from Tamil Nadu. This is in stark contrast to the deaths reported last year. In 2013, only two of the 63 deaths in the country were from Tamil Nadu. Of the four incidents of seizure of tiger skins from poachers, one was from Tamil Nadu this year while in 2013 there were no seizures here.
Forest officials say not all deaths of tigers should be construed as poaching. "There are other factors like ageing, fatal injuries and territorial fighting among tigers that could cause deaths,'' said a senior forest officer.
In January, a man eater was shot dead by forest officials in Ooty while another death was reported following a fight between two tigers in Mudumalai reserve forest.
"The data on increase in deaths of tigers could be interpreted in several ways. One is heightened surveillance. Every tiger death is reported now. The tiger population has also increased leading to higher number of natural deaths," said S Theodore Baskaran, wildlife conservationist. "There is no deterrent to poaching. There is an anti-poaching law, but convictions are few," he said.
Forest officials say there are around 400 tigers in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Of these, 163 are in the four tiger reserves of Tamil Nadu - Anamalai, Mudumalai, Kalakkad-Mundanthurai and Sathyamangalam. "Among the 400 tigers, a maximum of 10 would die of natural causes annually,'' an officer said.
