Jabalpur, Feb 25 (NationPress) Following the directives of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the field director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) presented a comprehensive report on the fatalities of tigers within the reserves and surrounding areas since November 2025.

The 30-page report reveals that a total of eight tigers have lost their lives between November 2025 and February 24, 2026.

Of these, four tigers perished within the confines of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, while the other four were found in the adjacent territorial forest division outside the officially designated boundaries of BTR.

"Among the eight tiger fatalities, four were recorded within the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. The autopsy results indicated that these deaths were primarily due to natural causes such as diseases, territorial disputes, and drowning. Conversely, the remaining four tigers succumbed to electrocution, with three being victims of live electric wires in open fields and one entangled in a solar power electric fence," the report provided to IANS states.

Furthermore, it noted that the electrocution incidents involved two tigers from the Umaria forest division and two from the Shahdol North forest division.

The report emphasized, "There is no indication of poaching associated with the reported deaths from November 25 to February 24."

Addressing the four fatalities that occurred within the BTR, the field director informed the High Court that, "Initial investigations and field assessments of the four natural deaths in BTR suggest that these fatalities stemmed from biological and ecological factors intrinsic to the wildlife population and are not linked to negligence or poaching."

Importantly, the court had requested a thorough report on tiger deaths in the BTR area after considering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dube, represented by senior advocate Aditya Sanghi, earlier this month.

Activists expressed grave concerns over the deaths of 54 tigers in Madhya Pradesh in 2025, marking the highest yearly toll, along with the eight fatalities in 2026. They alleged that organized poaching and electrocution were the primary reasons for the decline in tiger populations.

In response to these allegations, the BTR's field director asserted that, "The available data does not substantiate the claims that tiger deaths in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve were due to negligence."

In reaction to the BTR's report, Dube stated that it highlighted ongoing weaknesses in the surveillance and intelligence network within the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and its bordering territorial forests.

"This oversight has tragically led to the electrocution of three tigers due to electric wires. In one instance, the accused was granted default bail owing to the negligence of the Umaria Forest Department," he concluded.