Not just poaching, territorial fights may be behind fall in tiger number

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) top brass have sought details from four tiger-range states, including Maharashtra, about the causes of death of 68 tigers, which have not been ascertained since 2012.

The officials, meanwhile, admitted that tigers in India – caught between the rising numbers and a restricted habitat – might be facing a Malthusian crisis of sorts. They said one of the main reasons for tiger mortality in India was not poaching, as was widely presumed, but territorial fights – a fallout of rising tiger numbers in a largely restricted habitat. This comes even as the governments are patting themselves on the back over the increasing number of tigers in the wild.

The highest number of tiger deaths – 72 – was observed in 2012. This year, however, may turn out to be worse, with 66 deaths already reported by August 10. In 2011, the tiger mortality numbers stood at 54 and the figures stood at 63 in 2013, 66 in 2014 and 69 in 2015.

Last week, NTCA officials met senior officials and field directors from tiger reserves in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, to discuss “pending tiger mortality cases”. Here, the states did not submit documents such as post-mortem and histopathological reports regarding the causes of death of these big cats.

The meeting, which was also attended by officials from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), was meant to help the NTCA arrive at a conclusion about the deaths of 68 tigers since 2012, including 35 in Maharashtra, 30 in Madhya Pradesh, two in Chhattisgarh and one in Odisha.

“This is the sad part of India’s tiger conservation story. As the tiger population increases, so will the conflict,” noted a senior forest official. “Opinions were taken from field directors on why the mortality numbers were high and there was a near unanimous opinion that most deaths were due to density-related factors,” he explained, adding that directors had made a case for the need to accept a certain range of deaths in conflicts.

“This includes fights between two males, wherein the weaker male might lose his life, the territorial male killing the cubs of a female tiger and even the female, when she tries to protect them. There are pressures on the female tiger, so she may wean the cubs early to save them (from dominant male tigers who want to mate with her). These cubs may leave to establish their own territory, while the female can mate with the male,” he added. Tigers, especially males, are known to be highly territorial.

A conservationist, however, pointed out that trying to determine if the cause of death was territorial fights or cases of poaching or killing was a grey area. “The officials may want to attribute tiger deaths, including suspicious cases, to territorial fights, especially in cases where the carcass is badly decomposed,” he claimed.

The official made a strong case for creating and protecting dispersal corridors for tigers to ensure they moved to newer habitats. “Degraded habitats will have to be developed,” he noted. “Obviously, a high density of tigers will lead to territorial fights. And the fittest will survive,” noted a senior forest officer, who attended the meeting.

The official added that considering the country’s tiger population of 2,226 and an average lifespan of around 15 years in the wild, around 150 natural mortalities annually could be accepted. The reported tiger deaths, however, were much lesser, he stressed, adding that some could go unreported if they took place deep inside the forests.

“When a tiger is dead, we should not worry much, as this might be a natural death. The only thing that we must worry about is poaching,” the official added.