LUCKNOW: So far, 2010 has been a safe year for tigers in Uttar Pradesh as only two tiger deaths have been reported in the state. This bears significance since big cats are the most critically endangered of all wildlife species. Though there are other species as well which have been clubbed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act with tigers as critically endangered. But still the main focus of most conversation programmes is on protecting the big cats.
The Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), an agency that has a database of wildlife crime and also works with forest department in some states, has compiled the number of tiger mortalities in 2010. This year, tiger mortalities have been lesser as compared to the previous year. In 2009, 85 tiger deaths were reported in the country whereas in 2010, 53 tigers have died so far. The mortalities include natural deaths, poaching and also seizures. While 27 big cats were found dead, 26 mortalities were due to poaching and seizures. (As per assumption, 10 kg tiger bones seized are taken to be as one adult tiger killed).
"It is difficult to say how many tigers died natural deaths out of 27," said Tito Joseph from WPSI. When contacted, deputy director, Dudhwa, Sanjay Pathak said, "security mechanisms have been effectively put into place in Dudhwa." The lesser number of deaths is also a reason to rejoice for Dudhwa security staff. Out of the two tiger deaths reported from UP, one was killed by poachers in North Kheri. In the other cases, an adult tiger was killed by another tiger in an infighting in Pilibhit.
Even if the tigers are poisoned to death it is difficult to establish so if the carcasses are found after some days. The poisoning is mostly not established in the autopsy report. It is only within few hours of the death that poisoning, as a cause of death, can be established in the report. Due to this in many cases, cause of death is not established. Even the postmortem reports, at times, are inconclusive.
