29 tigers killed in poaching this year, says government

Twenty-nine tigers have died in poaching activities this year, the government on Tuesday said while asserting it has taken several steps for conservation and protection of the big cats.

Till November 16 this year, 29 tigers have died due to poaching, 32 due to natural causes while 37 other cases are under scrutiny to ascertain the cause of the death of the big cats, making it a total of 98, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said.

Last year, 14 tigers had died due to poaching while 38 due to natural causes.

Among the legal steps to conserve tigers, Dave said amendment of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 in 2006 was done.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has also been constituted while a multidisciplinary Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau has also been constituted.

He said financial and technical help is provided to states under various centrally-sponsored schemes, including Project Tiger and Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats for enhancing the capacity and infrastructure for providing effective protection to wild animals.