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Tiger mortality rate highest since 2010 with 76 deaths reported this year
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| Scroll. In , Monday, November 07, 2016 |
| Correspondent
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| Data released by tigernet, an official database of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, show that 76 big cats have been killed across the country between January and October this year, the highest mortality rate since 2010. Madhya Pradesh, followed by Karnataka, reported the maximum number of deaths during the period. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
The increased mortality rate indicates a spike in poaching. Out of the 76 deaths, forest officials are investigating 41 cases. The remaining have been attributed to poaching, poisoning, electrocution, road accidents and natural causes. "The situation this year seems far more grim as there has been an almost 10% increase in tiger mortalities and an over 150% increase in seizures since last year," Shekhar Kumar Niraj, head of TRAFFIC-India told The Times of India. Forest officials have reported 20 incidents when tiger body parts were seized during the period.
Simultaneously, there has been an increase in tiger count in Sunderbans region in West Bengal, reported The Times of India. Officials conducted a camera-trap exercise and found nine big cats more than accounted. With this, the total count in Sunderbans has gone up to 85. But state foresters said the number could be more. The camera-trap exercise was initiated in December last year and completed in April 2016.
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http://scroll.in/latest/820917/britain-will-expedite-visa-approvals-for-indian-business-travellers-says-pm-theresa-may |
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