53 big cats poached in 4 years in State, RTI query reveals

 

 

Wildlife poaching is considered a significant factor contributing to man-animal conflict. Maharashtra, which has 444 tigers and 1985 leopards in its tiger reserves, is also witnessing a rise in man-animal conflict issues in recent time. According to reply given to a Right to Information (RTI) query to RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar by the State Forest Department, in last four years (January 2021 to August 2024), 53 big cats including 32 tigers and 21 leopards were killed due to poaching in Maharashtra. As per the RTI reply, in 2021, 13 big cats including 9 tigers and 4 leopards were killed through poaching. In 2022, the number was 15, which included 7 tigers and 8 leopards.

 

The highest number of poaching cases in State happened in 2023 when the Forest Department reported that 15 tigers and 9 leopards were poached for their body parts by local and inter-state poachers. In 2024, there is only one case of tiger poaching reported so far whereas no leopard has been killed this year till date by poaching, the RTI reply stated. However, as per the data provided by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in its website, total 18 tiger died in Maharashtra this year so far due to various reasons like electrocution, territorial fight, natural death etc. In 2023, total 46 tigers were killed due to various reasons in Maharashtra. In 2022, the number was 28 and 27 tigers died in 2021. In 2021, the Forest Department established a Wildlife Crime Cell in Nagpur to combat wildlife related offences. Despite this, the Department has struggled to maintain a database of criminals involved in poaching, an important tool for tracking, identifying networks, and monitoring cases effectively. In the RTI reply, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) failed to answer the request of Kolarkar demanding detailed information on criminals and cases linked to wildlife poaching.

 

During the COVID-19 period, the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) issued a ‘red alert’ for Maharashtra regarding activation of a inter-state poachers gang and asked the State Government to be vigilant in this regard. After that warning, the Forest Department with the help of Police Department arrested many poachers of the gang from Assam and Maharashtra and seized body parts of tigers. Despite all efforts, the Forest Department is lagging to handle man-animal conflict properly in state and as a result the cases of human death due to tiger attack is also increased in recent times.