WHAT'S KILLING MAHA'S TIGERS?

OF THE 36 TIGER DEATHS IN MAHARASHTRA THIS YEAR, 13 ARE FOR UNNATURAL REASONS

- Dhaval Kulkarni

It's a strange irony. Go by the numbers, and Maharashtra seems endowed with a healthy tiger population. But look closely and you find a large number dying as well. Since 2018, the state has lost 151 tigers, a third of them to unnatural causes. Poaching and electrocution claimed 42 tiger lives, drowning and rail and road accidents killed another 16, a testimony to how linear projects dissecting tiger habitats pose an inherent risk for the big cats.

Till October 26, Maharashtra has seen 36 tiger deaths. Four of these were on account of accidents, one due to poaching via poisoning and eight by electrocution. In 2022, the state lost 29 tigers, of which 18 died natural deaths, four each were lost to accidents and electrocution, and three to poaching. According to the tiger census that year, Maharashtra had an estimated 444 tigers. The state has six tiger reserves: Tadoba Andhari, Pench, Navegaon Nagzira, Bor, Melghat and Sahyadri.