MP Reserve, Declared Unesco World Heritage Site, Lost 40 Tigers In 43 Months
The tiger reserve spreading over 1,526 sq km in the tribal-dominated district of Umaria in Madhya Pradesh is known for its rich biodiversity.
Bhopal: The Bandhavgarh tiger reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh, declared a Unesco world heritage site, has lost 40 tigers including cubs in the last 43 months. This was disclosed by forest minister Dileep Ahirwar in the Assembly here.
The BTR had lost 108 wild animals including 40 tigers between January 2022 and July 2025, Mr Ahirwar said in a written reply to Congress member Phundelal Singh Marko. The reserve housing more than 165 tigers is known for easy tiger sighting by the visitors.
The minister attributed deaths of the tigers to ‘primarily territorial fights.’ The other causes were electrocution, sickness, and unknown reasons.
Fourteen wild elephants have also died in the BTR during the period. Incidentally, the BTR is the only reserve forest in Madhya Pradesh where residential elephants have been found.
A herd of around 80 wild elephants had migrated to Madhya Pradesh from Chhattisgarh a couple of years ago and made BTR their home. The BTR had hogged the national limelight last year when 11 wild elephants died of mysterious circumstances.
The tiger reserve spreading over 1,526 sq km in the tribal-dominated district of Umaria in Madhya Pradesh is known for its rich biodiversity. The reserve forest has dense covers of ‘sal’ and bamboo trees. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of 785 tigers in the country, earning it the tag of ‘tiger state’.