Nearly 200 tigers fell prey to poaching in last 12 yrs

Ashwini Shrivastava
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Nearly 200 tigers were killed
by poachers in and around various forest reserves in India in
the last 12 years, news that points out the danger that the
national animal faces in its habitat.
Besides, 250 wild cats died of natural causes
including old age, infighting, starvation, road and rail
accidents, electrocution and weakness during this period.
According to an Right to Information (RTI) reply from
the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests, 447 wild cats
were reportedly found dead between 1999 and March 2011 in and
around a number of natural habitats for tigers, of which 197
were poached.
The ministry also noted that poaching was the major
cause behind disappearance of tigers from Sariska and Panna
reserves.
"The cases of local extinction of tigers were reported
in Sariska, Rajasthan (2005) and Panna, Madhya Pradesh (2008).
As reported, poachings of tigers was the major cause of their
extinction," National Tiger Conservation Authority under the
MoEF said in the reply to an RTI query filed by PTI.
A highest of 36 each tigers were poached in 2001 and
2002, followed by 24 each in 1999 and in 2010, it said. Two
tigers were found to be killed in poaching between January and
March 17 this year, the reply said.
Whereas 20 wild cats were killed in 2003, 17 in 2009,
10 in 2007, nine each in 2000 and 2008, and five fell prey to
hunters in 2006, it said.
The ministry, however, did not give details of action
taken reports in the cases of poaching, saying that concerned
state governments were the custodian of information.

"Action against the cases related to poaching is taken
by state governments under the provision of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 and other relevant Acts," the ministry
replied.
"You are requested to contact respective state
governments for detailed information on action taken report
against each case of poaching," it said.
Altogether, a highest of 66 wild cats died in 2009, 59
in 2002, 52 in 2010, 44 in 2001, 33 in 1999, 31 in 2008 and 30
in 2007, the reply said. According to the ministry, 22 each
were killed in 2004 and 2006, 10 in 2000 and 17 each in 2005
and 2011 (up to March).
Surprisingly, postmortem reports were still awaited in
the deaths of at least four tigers one each from -- Mudumalai
Wildlife Sanctuary and Niligiri Division in Chennai (2003),
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh (2003), Valmiki Tiger
reserve in Bihar (2008) and Manambolly Range in Tamil Nadu in
2010.
Also, the reason behind the death of one tigress in
Panna Tiger Reserve on May 23, 2008 could not be ascertained
as "carcass was not fit for diagnosis due to decomposition,
(and) report of forensic laboratory is awaited", the RTI reply
said.
It said three each death of tigers was reported due to
poisoning in 2009 and 2010 outside various reserves.
The MoEF said various legal, administrative and
financial steps were being taken to check poaching and support
conservation of wild animals. "Enhancement of punishment in
cases of offence relating to a tiger reserve or its core
area," the reply said.