Maharashtra lost the most big cats in 2023

Tamil Nadu and Kerala recorded 15 Tiger deaths each. File pic

A concerning trend unfolded in 2023 for the tiger and leopard populations in India. According to data compiled by the Wildlife Protection Society of India, a staggering 206 tigers and 565 leopards lost their lives during the year. Notably, Maharashtra recorded the highest tiger mortality with 52 deaths, closely followed by Madhya Pradesh with 45.

According to the data from the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), 206 tiger deaths occurred in the country in the year 2023. According to the data Maharashtra recorded 52 tiger deaths the highest in the country, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 45 tiger deaths and the third highest Tiger deaths took place in Uttarakhand with 27 tiger deaths.

Tamil Nadu and Kerala recorded 15 Tiger deaths each, Karnataka recorded 13 tiger deaths, 10 tiger deaths in Rajasthan and Assam each, seven tiger deaths in Uttar Pradesh, three tiger deaths each in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Chattisgarh, two tiger deaths in Odisha and one tiger death in Telangana.

Experts say that years of habitat manipulation in tiger reserves have resulted in a disproportionate increase in prey and predator populations. File pic

If we look at the cause of the deaths, according to WPSI data, 79 tigers died of natural and other causes, 56 died due to poaching and seizure, 47 tigers died due to infighting, 14 tigers died during rescue and treatment, seven tigers were killed in road and train accidents, two tigers were killed by other species, one tiger was shot by FD/police or killed by villagers.

Leopard deaths

According to the data by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), 565 leopards died in the year 2023. Of which 410 leopards died due to various reasons and 155 died in poaching and seizures.

Conservationists say

Randeep Hooda, actor and wildlife conservationist said, "The growing population and the shrinking habitat are the main reasons. When we boast of increased numbers of tigers we should also be taking care of preserving the habitats and the corridors linking them. This will ease the numbers lost to territorial infighting. Mining and linear infrastructure is also causing a lot of conflict. Tiger reserves are less than 2.6 percent of our land so that has to increase for further population growth. There is still poaching going on which should not be the case with the new technology available to us. The same is the case with leopards that fall prey to linear roads and poaching at an alarming rate."

Sarosh Lodhi, co-founder of the wildlife group CLaW and a conservation photographer said, "The stats show an exponential rise in average mortality of yesteryears. With the growth in tiger numbers, the responsibility to provide them with safe and continuous habitat also increases. Even deaths due to infighting can be a cause of anthropogenic activities reducing their habitat and prey base and hence bringing them face to face with each other."

Increase in prey

Wildlife Conservationist Kedar Gore from The Corbett Foundation said that years of habitat manipulation in tiger reserves have resulted in a disproportionate increase in prey and predator populations, which in turn has escalated the human-wildlife conflict and inter and intra-species competition. Gore also said that most tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have high tiger numbers in a restricted area, giving rise to the ‘problem of plenty'. "Forest habitats adjacent to these tiger reserves accommodate some dispersed tigers that mainly prey upon livestock, and this often gives rise to intense human-wildlife conflict affecting tigers negatively. It is necessary to reflect upon our habitat management practices, at least in TRs with high tiger numbers and take appropriate measures applying conservation science and not keeping ‘increased tiger numbers' as a sole success indicator. Having tigers occupying forested habitats and with minimum human-tiger negative interactions should be our utmost priority to ensure long-term tiger conservation and coexistence. Poaching of tigers is a threat that will always loom over tigers, despite the best efforts taken by the forest departments. All these add to the mortality of our national animal," Gore said.

206
No of tiger deaths in the country in 2023

52
No of tiger deaths in Maharashtra