Wildlife census: State has lost 162 tigers since 2005

If the latest tiger population figures released by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) are to be believed, Maharashtra, which is well known for the wild cats in Melghat, Tadoba and Pench Tiger reserves, is doing badly as far as tiger conservation is concerned.

While there are 1,411 tigers left in the country, Maharashtra has only 103 tigers living in the protected areas, where a tiger census is carried out annually. The state government, after the wildlife census in 2005, had claimed that there were 265 tigers in its forests, protected and otherwise. This means the state has lost 162 tigers in the last couple of years.

The latest report has only confirmed the widespread apprehension about declining number of tigers in the state. In fact, a senior forest official warned that if the state government did not wake up in time and take action, the state might lose all the tigers in the next five years. “The poachers are getting hi-tech with each passing day,” the official said.

“None of the guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has been implemented,” said Kishor Rithe, president, Satpuda Foundation, a wildlife NGO. “The state is yet to formulate a tiger conservation plan, form a steering committee and monitor conservation activities and fund flow,” he added.