The National Tiger Conservation Authority has directed the Sunderban Tiger Reserve management to be on alert for a lethal canine distemper virus that may affect big cats in the mangrove forest.
"We have received an advisory from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) regarding canine distemper virus," Sunderban Tiger Reserve (STR) field director, S Dasgupta said here during an interaction at a workshop organised jointly by Sanctuary Asia and wildlife NGOs SHER and ACT.
In view of reports of the spread of lethal canine distemper virus in tigers in countries like Indonesia and Russia, the NTCA has asked all tiger-range states to take preventive measures.
A large number of feral dogs and cats live in villages around Sunderbans. The virus is common among them and tigers straying into villages and preying on them are at risk.
STR authorities said that they had taken various measures, including putting up nylon net fencing to stop tigers from straying into surrounding villages, which gave satisfactory results.
