New Delhi: The reasons for the deaths of 60 tigers out outside tiger reserves this year are yet to be ascertained, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated here today. Certain media reports attributed these deaths to poachers, accidents, man-animal conflict outside protected areas. However, refuting these reports, the Ministry claimed these reports ignored the process involved in ascribing tiger mortality cause.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority through a dedicated Standard Operating Procedure, has a stringent protocol to ascribe cause to a tiger death, which is treated as unnatural, unless otherwise proved by the State concerned through submission of necropsy reports, histopathological and forensic assessments besides photographs and circumstantial evidences. “It is only after a detailed analysis of these documents that the cause of death of 60 tigers outside tiger reserves can be ascertained,” the Ministry reiterated.
In all 126 instances of tiger deaths have been reported during 2021. This figure is higher than the previous years. For the period 2012 to 2021, the average tiger deaths per year in the country has hovered around 98. The Ministry claimed under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger to address poaching, steps have been taken that “significantly controlled” poaching and seizure cases.
“The National Tiger Conservation Authority maintains the highest standards of transparency in so far as making tiger death statistics available to the citizen through its website as well as dedicated portal – www.tigernet.nic.in , so that people can make a logical assessment, if they desire,” the Ministry stated.
– global bihari bureau
