Melghat tiger death takes state toll to four in 6 days
Vijay Pinjarkar | TNN | Jan 6, 2019, 02:24 IST
Nagpur: Maharashtra lost one more tiger, this time in Melghat, taking the toll to two this year and four in last six days. This is the second death in last two days. On January 3, a tigress was found dead in Khursapar area of Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR). Another tiger died in Motha village in Chikhaldara on January 4 evening.
The tiger was found dead near Motha village of Chikhaldara territorial area under East Melghat Division. The carcass of the male tiger was 10-day-old indicating that no patrolling was done in the area. “It was only due to fire line works that the carcass was traced,” said sources from the spot.
Amravati chief conservator of forests (CCF) Praveen Chavan said, “The death was noticed late evening in compartment number 13 inside forest area. All the body parts of the animal are intact and prima facie poaching is ruled out. Wildlife vets and officials after panchnama have claimed that the tiger died of old age.”
Sources said flesh of barking deer was found in the stomach during post-mortem indicating it had consumed food before death. This is the fourth tiger death in the last five days. On December 30, a male tiger ‘Charger’ was found dead in tourism zone of Paoni inside Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary. This was followed by a tigress named ‘Raai’ near the same area on December 31. The two tigers died of poisoning after they consumed a wild boar laced with dreaded insecticide thimet.
Sources said officials learnt about the death in the afternoon but kept it under wraps till late evening. On January 1, a tiger skin was seized on Chikhaldara road and six accused were nabbed. This skin, sources said belongs to a Melghat tiger.
Over 2,700 sqkm Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) and its buffer area, which is part of East and West Melghat division, is in the thick of controversy with wildlife officials cracking a major poaching racket of wild animals by local gang of poachers, who were also involved in collection of non-timber forest produce (NTFP) like safed musli from the forest areas.
Over 15-20 locals arrested in last three months from Girguti village in Chikhaldara range have confessed to killing wild animals and have also revealed that their counterparts from other villages targeted tigers, leopards and herbivores.
Investigating officials told TOI that the accused confessed that separate gangs killed at least 12 tigers and equal number of leopards in last 2-3 years by poisoning water holes and cattle carcasses with the help of pesticides and wire snare traps. In some cases, role of Pardhis, a hunting tribe, has also come to fore.
Some were suspecting that the demand for tiger body parts have suddenly gone up, especially after China lifting ban on tiger body parts’ trade for its use in medicine. However, Central India director of Wildlife Institute of India (WPSI) Nitin Desai said, “No such links have been known as of yet. It is true that demand for tiger body parts like canines and claws have increased in Central India landscape. In around last one year, there were 11 cases reported where canines and paws of tigers were removed and sold to local buyers.”
“These body parts are being removed by locals on demand of tantriks involved in performing black magic (voodoo) or luring gullible tribals with the promise of showering money and find out hidden treasure,” said Desai.
RECENT TIGER DEATHS IN STATE
Date---Tiger---Place---Cause of death
Dec 30---T16 (Male)---Paoni (Umred Karhandla)---Suspected poisoning
Dec 31---T4 (Female)---Paoni (Umred Karhandla)---Suspected poisoning
Jan 3---Cub of T15 (Female)---Khursapar (Pench)---Territorial fight
Jan 5--- Adult tiger---Motha (Melghat)---Unknown
The tiger was found dead near Motha village of Chikhaldara territorial area under East Melghat Division. The carcass of the male tiger was 10-day-old indicating that no patrolling was done in the area. “It was only due to fire line works that the carcass was traced,” said sources from the spot.
Amravati chief conservator of forests (CCF) Praveen Chavan said, “The death was noticed late evening in compartment number 13 inside forest area. All the body parts of the animal are intact and prima facie poaching is ruled out. Wildlife vets and officials after panchnama have claimed that the tiger died of old age.”
Sources said flesh of barking deer was found in the stomach during post-mortem indicating it had consumed food before death. This is the fourth tiger death in the last five days. On December 30, a male tiger ‘Charger’ was found dead in tourism zone of Paoni inside Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary. This was followed by a tigress named ‘Raai’ near the same area on December 31. The two tigers died of poisoning after they consumed a wild boar laced with dreaded insecticide thimet.
Sources said officials learnt about the death in the afternoon but kept it under wraps till late evening. On January 1, a tiger skin was seized on Chikhaldara road and six accused were nabbed. This skin, sources said belongs to a Melghat tiger.
Over 2,700 sqkm Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) and its buffer area, which is part of East and West Melghat division, is in the thick of controversy with wildlife officials cracking a major poaching racket of wild animals by local gang of poachers, who were also involved in collection of non-timber forest produce (NTFP) like safed musli from the forest areas.
Over 15-20 locals arrested in last three months from Girguti village in Chikhaldara range have confessed to killing wild animals and have also revealed that their counterparts from other villages targeted tigers, leopards and herbivores.
Investigating officials told TOI that the accused confessed that separate gangs killed at least 12 tigers and equal number of leopards in last 2-3 years by poisoning water holes and cattle carcasses with the help of pesticides and wire snare traps. In some cases, role of Pardhis, a hunting tribe, has also come to fore.
Some were suspecting that the demand for tiger body parts have suddenly gone up, especially after China lifting ban on tiger body parts’ trade for its use in medicine. However, Central India director of Wildlife Institute of India (WPSI) Nitin Desai said, “No such links have been known as of yet. It is true that demand for tiger body parts like canines and claws have increased in Central India landscape. In around last one year, there were 11 cases reported where canines and paws of tigers were removed and sold to local buyers.”
“These body parts are being removed by locals on demand of tantriks involved in performing black magic (voodoo) or luring gullible tribals with the promise of showering money and find out hidden treasure,” said Desai.
RECENT TIGER DEATHS IN STATE
Date---Tiger---Place---Cause of death
Dec 30---T16 (Male)---Paoni (Umred Karhandla)---Suspected poisoning
Dec 31---T4 (Female)---Paoni (Umred Karhandla)---Suspected poisoning
Jan 3---Cub of T15 (Female)---Khursapar (Pench)---Territorial fight
Jan 5--- Adult tiger---Motha (Melghat)---Unknown
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