Poaching by electrocution rising trend in MP

Madhya Pradesh is witnessing a rising trend of Tigers being poached by electrocution with five felines losing lives because of it in 2012-13, an RTI query has found.
"According to government records, 13 tigers lost lives in Madhya Pradesh till mid December 2012, including four due to electrocution," RTI activist Ajay Dube told PTI.
However, one of the tigers was not poached by electrocution but accidentally came in contact with electric wires.
"After that two more tigers were electrocuted (one in late December and another in February this year) by poachers taking the total number of felines killed in 2012-13 to 15, which has raised a big question mark over their safety in the wild," Dube said.

According to documents sourced through RTI, from 1998 to 2005, four tigers were electrocuted by poachers, and during 2012-13 alone, five were killed in the same way.
In 2012, out of 13 tigers - one died of senility (mental and physical deterioration associated with ageing), four died of various diseases, three were killed in territorial fight, two in accidental death (including one in accidental electrocution) and three in poaching.
The killing of three felines in poaching was caused by electrocution, but not a single case of poaching took place within the tiger reserves, the documents said.
This new method of poaching came to light between 1998 and 2005 when the state lost four tigers (including one accidentally), three leopards and 15 other wild animals because of electrocution, according to information sourced through RTI.