11 adult Indian tigers have already been killed since the beginning of 2010; this is in addition to reports of the killing of two tiger cubs early last week. These deaths further reduce the contested official figure of 1,400 wild tigers left in India.

The Grisly Details

Indian Environment Minister, Jairam Rameth, has reported that five of the eleven were killed in reserves, the remaining six in state forests. Of the tigers killed in reserves, two were killed after becoming caught between infighting in the North Western state of Uttarakhand and the North Eastern state of Assam, where as the other one due to poisoning in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

Poisoned

Poisoning was also the cause of the tiger cub deaths, killed deliberately in revenge for cattle poaching at the Ranthambhore national park. In 2009 a census put the tiger numbers in the park at 40 and as this figure increases human-tiger conflict is likely to escalate as a result. The two men responsible for the tiger cub deaths have been arrested for poisoning a goat and leaving it for the cubs to eat.

Human-Tiger Conflict

These deaths evidence the increasing problem of a growing human population moving into tiger habitat, meaning human-tiger contact and conflict is inevitable. This threat to the species is a definite rival to poaching for tiger parts for medicinal use and fur. With 66 tigers killed in India in 2009 the Indian Government has pledged to step up its conservation efforts to ensure 2010 does not outdo this figure.