According to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in 2021 India reported the death of around 126 tigers.

Highlights

• Recently, a tiger was found dead in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, taking toll to 44 in MP in 2021. NTCA is investigating the cause of the recent death of Tiger in Madhya Pradesh.
• Before that, a tigress died in the Dindori area of Madhya Pradesh, allegedly due to poisoning.
• Madhya Pradesh with 44 tiger deaths, is followed by Maharashtra (26) and Karnataka (14).

Status of Tiger

The tiger is globally listed as “endangered” on the International Union for the conversion of Nature (IUCN) Red List. As of 2015, global wild tiger population was estimated between 3,062 and 3,948 mature individuals. Most of the population are living in small isolated pockets. Presently, India hosts the largest population of tiger.

Reasons for declining population

Major reasons for declining population include- habitat destruction, poaching and habitat fragmentation. They are also victims of human–wildlife conflict.

The Royal Bengal Tiger

The Bengal Tiger is a tiger from specific population of Panthera tigris tigris subspecies. They are native to the Indian subcontinent. Tiger population in India was estimated at 2,603–3,346 individuals, as of 2018. Around 300–500 tigers are there in Bangladesh, 220–274 in Nepal while 103 tigers in Bhutan.