16 tigers dead in Uttarakhand since January

The Forest Department officials are attributing the deaths to reasons like territorial fights among the big cats.

As many as sixteen tigers have died in Uttarakhand in the last six months (since January). Concerned over the deaths, the Environment Ministry has sought a detailed report from the State on the causes of the deaths and the action taken by the government to control the same.

The State, at present, has over 420 tigers, as per the recent tiger census. As many as 250 tigers are in the Corbett Tiger Reserve area alone.

Talking to The Hindu, Samir Sinha, Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttarakhand’s Forest Department confirmed that the Environment Ministry had sought a report in the matter of tiger deaths. He, however, refused to share the number of deaths of the big cats. The website of the National Tiger Conservation Authority shows that 12 big cats had died in the State since January while the officials of the Forest Department said four more deaths were reported in the past couple of weeks.

“We have already received report from some places while others are awaited. The final report will be shared with the Ministry as soon as possible,” Mr. Sinha added.

The Forest Department officials are attributing the deaths to reasons like territorial fights among the big cats. Accidents are also a major reason for the deaths of wild animals in the State, including tigers.

“The shrinking habitat of the animals due to reckless construction and development activity is leading the tigers to come into human habitat. This is also a reason why tigers are being spotted in the villages in the hilly areas,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

According to the data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority, a total of six tiger deaths were reported in Uttarakhand in the year 2022.