SHADOL: A heartbreaking incident unfolded in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district, where a 12-year-old tiger met its untimely demise reportedly due to electrocution from contact with electrical wires on a farm. This distressing event has resulted in the forest department apprehending 11 villagers in connection with the tragic death of the big cat in the Jaitpur forest range, situated adjacent to the Bandhavgarh National Park.
The discovery of the tiger's carcass, which was just 15 days old, was made by a forest patrolling team on Thursday. Subsequently, the individuals involved were arrested on suspicion of engaging in poaching activities. Shraddha Pandre, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), highlighted that the tiger is believed to have encountered electric wires set up by villagers to trap wild boars on the farm. Despite this fatal encounter, the body parts of the tiger remained intact.
Legal Action and Wildlife Conservation Efforts
The Wildlife Protection Act has led to the apprehension of eleven villagers for their alleged role in the incident. Madhya Pradesh's tiger population, as per the "Status of Tigers: Co-predators & Prey in India-2022" report, stood at 785 in 2022, surpassing the tiger count in Karnataka (563) and Uttarakhand (560). The report underscored a significant increase in the number of tigers in Madhya Pradesh, rising from 526 in 2018 to 785 in 2022.
This tragic loss underscores the ongoing challenges faced in safeguarding the wildlife population, prompting renewed efforts toward wildlife conservation and stricter enforcement of protective measures to ensure the safety of endangered species.
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