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News18
2 days ago
- News18
'This'll Hit Tiger Population': How MM Hills Tragedy Is 'Black Day' In Karnataka's Conservation History
Last Updated: The death of four eight-month-old cubs and their mother is the highest single-day tiger mortality recorded in Karnataka since the launch of Project Tiger in India The MM Hills tragedy, in which five tigers – four eight-month-old cubs and their mother – were found dead, marks a black day in Karnataka's wildlife conservation history. It is the highest single-day tiger mortality recorded in the state since the launch of Project Tiger in India. What's worse, officials confirmed it was a result of revenge poisoning and a massive administrative failure. Heads have rolled, with three senior officers – including deputy conservator of forests Y Chakrapani, assistant conservator of forests Gajanana Hegde, and deputy zonal forest officer Madhesh – being sent on compulsory leave pending investigation. 'MOTHER, CUBS SIGN OF SUCCESSFUL CONSERVATION' Retired principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Braj Kishore Singh, who once served as DCF in the Kollegal division, described the collapse as both a conservation failure and an intelligence breakdown. 'This will have an impact on the tiger population, no doubt," he said. 'In any conflict, it's always the tiger that pays the price. This mother and her cubs were a sign of successful conservation. The administration failed to safeguard them." Singh explained that camera traps had picked up the same tigress as far back as 2022. 'She was spotted then with her earlier litter of four cubs. She would've been around eight years old. Now she was 11 and had given birth again. The new cubs were said to be about eight months old." A tigress's lifespan in the wild rarely exceeds 10 to 11 years. 'She was at the end of her life. An older tigress loses speed, strength, even the sharpness of her canines. She gets pushed out by younger tigers and is forced to hunt easy prey – livestock, dogs. She likely moved to the edge of the forest to avoid conflict. The forest staff should've picked up her movement and warned villagers. But that basic intelligence was missing." Three of the four cubs were females and so the opportunity for them to breed and help build the tiger populations was also snuffed out by this act of revenge. A strongly worded letter from forest minister Eshwar Khanduri, who called the incident as 'utter negligence". 'The fact that five tigers were found dead just 100 metres from the road but went unnoticed by the forest department staff for two days is regarded as a very serious lapse in forest and wildlife conservation," it said. 'Despite an anti-poaching camp being located just 800 metres from the site, no protective action was taken. Additionally, reports that frontline outsourced staff have not been paid their salaries and allowances for the past three months have severely affected patrolling efforts," the note said. The ministry found prima facie negligence by the DCF, ACF, Zonal and Sub-Zonal Forest Officers, and patrol staff. 'Hence, the government has deemed it essential to take strict action," the note stated. Separate action is also being initiated by the chief conservator of forests, Chamarajanagar Circle, against lower-level staff and a detailed investigation has been ordered. Action is also being taken against the sub-zonal forest officer-cum-surveyor and the patrol personnel of the concerned branch by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar Circle. Three persons – Konappa, Madaraja, and Nagaraj of Koppa village – who admitted to poisoning the tigers have been sent to judicial custody until July 3 as the forest department continues its investigations into the matter. FAMILIAR PROBLEM: CATTLE CAMPS RAMP Local residents in Meenyam and Hoogyam, remote settlements near the Tamil Nadu border, are no strangers to this cycle. Singh said, 'These are cattle-heavy areas, connected by walkable mud roads. Earlier, cattle camps had been a serious problem, but they had reduced over the years. Now, they're back – and they're undoing all the gains." This region has a half-century history of tiger population decline directly linked to these camps. 'They were deep in the forest, well supplied with fodder and water, and had a devastating ecological impact. Once they dwindled, tiger numbers started to recover. This tigress was part of that revival. But now it looks like we're back to square one." 'THESE ANIMALS WERE THE FUTURE' 'This wasn't electrocution, which we see more often. This was poisoning. A targeted killing. Of five tigers at once. That is a complete breakdown of field-level monitoring," said an official from the forest department. On June 26, forest minister Eshwar B Khandre announced a state-level committee comprising additional principal chief conservator of forests Kumar Pushkar, NTCA representative Srinivasalu, and conservationist Sanjay Gubbi. top videos View all Amid outrage, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) also formed a two-member special investigation team (SIT) comprising Harini V (AIG, NTCA Bengaluru) and Thenmozhi V (AIG, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, South Region) with a deadline of two weeks to submit a report to NTCA, Delhi. Yet, forest veterans and senior conservationists insist that this time, only a judicial probe will ensure accountability. 'These animals were the future of MM Hills' fragile tiger landscape," said Singh. 'It took us years to see a tigress breed here again. Now we've lost her — and her entire litter." tags : poaching tigers wildlife conservation Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: July 01, 2025, 07:30 IST News india 'This'll Hit Tiger Population': How MM Hills Tragedy Is 'Black Day' In Karnataka's Conservation History
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Tiger carcasses lay just 100 metres from road, forest staff didn't find them for two days
Forest staff at a Karnataka sanctuary failed to find a poisoned tigress and her four cubs for two days despite their carcasses lying just 100 metres from a road, said a state government order issued Monday. The order by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests also sent three Forest Department officials on compulsory leave pending an investigation into the deaths at the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. The officials are Deputy Conservator of Forests Y Chakrapani, Assistant Conservator of Forests Gajanana Heggade and Deputy Range Forest Officer Madesh. The order pointed out that not only were the carcasses found a mere 100 meters from the road, an anti-poaching camp was also located 800 metres away from the spot. 'Prima facie it is found that the dereliction of duty by the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Range Forest Officer and Deputy Range Forest Officer is responsible (for the deaths)…,' said the order, warning of action against other staff involved in patrolling the sanctuary. The tigress and her four cubs were poisoned last week by three residents of Koppa village near the sanctuary — Konappa, Madaraju and Nagaraj — following a tiger attack on cattle. The accused had sprayed pesticide on a cattle carcass, creating a deadly trap for the felines. The deaths marked India's largest single-day tiger mortality since the launch of Project Tiger in 1973, according to officials.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Karnataka: Three held for poisoning carcass that killed tigress, four cubs
Three men have been arrested in connection with the recent deaths of a tigress and her four cubs at Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary — India's largest single-day tiger mortality since Project Tiger's launch. The accused — Konappa, Madaraju, and Nagaraj — are residents of Koppa village within the sanctuary. They have been charged under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and the Karnataka Forest Act 1963. A local court sent the accused to judicial custody for three days. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre confirmed the arrests on Saturday, stating that all three suspects were directly involved in poisoning cattle carcass that was subsequently consumed by a tigress and her four cubs. The breakthrough came after Shivanna, the father of the accused Madaraju, was detained on Friday and confessed to knowledge of the crime. Senior sanctuary officials revealed that preliminary questioning of Shivanna unravelled the crime committed by the accused, including his son. 'Based on his confessions, we have arrested three people… Shivanna and some others were aware of the conspiracy,' said a forest official. Madaraju initially fled after his father's arrest but was apprehended later. According to a police officer, the tigress and her cubs were killed following tiger attacks on cattle. The accused deliberately sprayed pesticide on a cattle carcass, creating a deadly trap for the tigress and her cubs. Karnataka Forest Department has formed a high-level inquiry committee headed by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B P Ravi and given 14 days to submit a comprehensive report. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Five Tadoba tigers to be relocated to Telangana's Kawal Tiger Reserve
ADILABAD: The Telangana Forest department is planning to bring tigers to Kawal Tiger Reserve by translocating them from Maharashtra's Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) 2022 report, Kawal currently has no resident tigers, despite being declared a tiger reserve in 2012. Over the years, migrating tigers from neighbouring reserves have failed to settle in the region. Under the 'Project Tiger' initiative, the Telangana and Maharashtra forest departments have agreed to the translocation plan. NTCA officials are expected to visit Kawal in July to assess the site. Kawal has dense forests and an abundant prey base, including deer, sambar, and nilgai. Tigers from Tadoba-Andhari, Tipeshwar (Maharashtra), and Indravati (Chhattisgarh) have previously migrated into the area but did not stay, likely due to territorial and ecological disruptions. To improve habitat conditions, Telangana's Forest department has developed sufficient grasslands to support herbivores. Tigers that had earlier migrated from Tipeshwar in search of mates returned, indicating an absence of a stable tiger population. TATR, which currently houses over 40 tigers, lies close to the Pranahita river. Tigers from there often migrate through the Kagaznagar corridor but are unable to reach Kawal's core zone due to natural and manmade barriers. Telangana's Chief Wildlife Warden, E Singh Meeru, recently met Maharashtra forest officials to formally request the translocation. A positive response has been received, and a proposal has been submitted to the NTCA for approval. The current plan involves relocating five tigers, which include a male and four females. Two villages, Maisampet and Rampur, have already been relocated.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Karnataka tiger deaths: 3 arrested for poisoning cattle carcass at MM Hills sanctuary
Three people have been arrested in connection with the deaths of five tigers at the Male Mahadeshwara Hills wildlife sanctuary, said Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre Saturday. The accused—Konappa, Madaraju, and Nagaraj—are residents of Koppa village, situated within the MM Hills sanctuary. They have been charged under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963. A local court has sent the accused into judicial custody for three days. Khandre said all three were directly involved in poisoning a cattle carcass that was subsequently consumed by a tigress and her four cubs, leading to India's largest single-day tiger mortality since the launch of Project Tiger, a conservative effort that began in 1973. The breakthrough came after Shivanna, the father of the accused Madaraju, was detained on Friday and confessed to knowledge of the crime. Senior sanctuary officials revealed that preliminary questioning of Shivanna exposed the involvement of three conspirators, including his son. 'Based on his confessions, we have arrested all three people. While three people were part of the crime, Shivanna and others were aware of the conspiracy,' said a forest official. Madaraju initially fled after his father's arrest but was later apprehended through Shivanna's cooperation. According to a police officer, the tigress and her cubs were killed in retaliation following tiger attacks on village cattle. The accused deliberately sprayed pesticide on a cattle carcass, creating a deadly trap for the big cats, said the officer. The poisoned meat proved fatal to the entire tiger family, a mother and her four cubs, who consumed it near the village. Meanwhile, the Karnataka forest department has formed a high-level inquiry committee headed by B.P. Ravi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and given it 14 days to submit a comprehensive report. The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident. On Saturday, Khandre met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and briefed him about the tiger deaths.
