Madhya Pradesh has earned the title of "tiger state" for serving as a home to the highest number of tigers, according to a 2018 census. But a shocking incident that has come to light about a sub-adult tiger being killed in the very home of tigers raises concerns about the safety of national symbol. All that grace, strength, agility and enormous power was no match to the cunning man-made trap that killed the magnificent striped feline in a painful manner.
Madhya Pradesh's Kanha Tiger Reserve is believed to be one of the well-managed parks in India, which is why it is shocking to see that a sub-adult tigress was found dead on Tuesday by some beat guards in the Khapa forest range.
The tiger was aged around 2 years and was trapped in a snare, giving a painful and slow death to the powerful feline. The investigating team found a wire around the animal's neck. After the autopsy done by Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal, the tigress was cremated in presence of forest officials.
Saddening visual from Kanha, one of the most well managed park in India, a sub adult Tiger being killed by snare trap.@ParveenKaswan @jayotibanerjee @susantananda3 @rameshpandeyifs @RandeepHooda @TandonRaveena @KapilMishra_IND @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/TJcnVsW81h
— WildLense® (@WildLense_India) January 27, 2021
Poachers at large
The wire traps are often found in forests, but animals fall victim to them even before they are identified by officials. After the incident, a dog squad searched nearby areas, but couldn't locate the poachers who might have laid the trap.
"The tigress died after getting entangled in a wire trap used by poachers," a forest official said. "It was a clutch wire (used in vehicles). A case has been registered against unidentified persons under the Wildlife Protection Act and search is underway for culprits," KTR's deputy director Naresh Singh Yadav said.
Sometimes, even if a tiger escapes the snare trap, the noose around the neck will likely stay on, causing infection and eventual death. There have been instances where tigers were found dead several days after they were trapped in a snare. Despite several calls for action in the matter, snaring remains one of the serious concerns that threaten the safety of our wildlife. In the last nine years, over 24 tigers have died after getting caught in a snare.
