NTCA chief says many animals venture into habitations, which increases the possibility of human-animal conflicts and results in deaths

According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) records till December 15, 2018, there were 95 cases of tiger deaths in the country. Of this, 41 cases of tiger deaths outside tiger reserves have been reported.

Of them, 14 occurred in Maharashtra, which accounted for over 34% of all deaths outside tiger reserves in the country. A total of 19 tiger deaths were recorded in Maharashtra in 2018, so deaths outside tiger reserves comprise more than 70% of all tiger deaths in the State.

The NTCA maintains the official database of tiger mortality in the country, and compiles figures from reports sent by different States on the basis of recovery of bodies or seizure of body parts.

According to the last tiger estimation exercise in the country in 2014, Maharashtra is home to 190 tigers, but more than a third of its tigers, or about 74 of them, live outside tiger reserves in the State.

“One of the major reason why tigers are dying in Maharashtra is because many of the tigers are living outside tiger reserves,” Anup Kumar Nayak, member secretary, NTCA, told The Hindu.

“In several areas, tigers are not only living outside reserve areas, but are venturing into human dominated landscapes, which increases the probability of human-animal conflict and results in deaths,” he explained.

Three States comprise 60% of tiger deaths.

Till December 15, of the 95 tigerd that died in the country, 41 deaths occurred outside protected areas. After Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh recorded 22 deaths (11 outside and 11 inside tiger reserves), followed by Karnataka, with 15 deaths (six outside tiger reserves and nine inside) being recorded.