Forest Minister Ganesh Naik said Maharashtra has seen 41 tiger deaths in 2025, according to data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). File | Photo credit: The Hindu
Of the 166 tiger deaths recorded in the country last year, 41 happened in Maharashtra, the state government informed the Legislative Council during the ongoing budget session.
Forest Minister Ganesh Naik said the state has recorded 41 tiger deaths in 2025, according to data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). He was responding to members’ queries regarding the recent tiger deaths reported from the Pench Tiger Reserve in Nagpur district.
Members of the Legislative Council, including Satyajit Tambe and Parinay Fuke, expressed concern after the death of one adult tiger and two cubs was reported from the reserve. Another carcass was found in Ward 329 of Saleghaat Wildlife Zone on December 2, 2025, while a cub was found dead in Deolapar Zone, Khursapar on January 7.
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Responding to queries, Mr. Naik said several measures are being taken to curb poaching and protect wildlife.
“Special Tiger Protection Force and dog squad are constantly patrolling to monitor poaching activities. Technology is also being used to track suspicious movements, including use of camera surveillance and mobile devices with M-Stripes app. A Wildlife Crime Cell has been set up,” informed Mr Naik.
“A similar cyber cell is also functioning in Melghat Tiger Reserve to monitor poaching activities and initiate swift action. Mr. Naik also mentioned setting up a rapid rescue unit and a transit treatment center.”
The issue of poaching and human-wildlife conflict figured prominently in discussions in the state legislature during the budget session, with lawmakers raising concerns about the deaths of both humans and animals, including tigers and leopards.
Mr Naik told the House that changes in animal behavior and habitat patterns had intensified these conflicts as animals often entered agricultural fields.
Referring to leopards, he said that the cabinet has approved a proposal to change their protection category and the government has approached the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to formalize the change.
It seeks to move leopards from Schedule I of the Wildlife Conservation Act (WLPA) – which receives the highest level of protection – to Schedule II, where penalties are less severe.
However, environmentalists strongly opposed the move and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reject the proposal, which they termed as “cruel and regressive”.
“The government should focus on protecting forests and preventing encroachment on natural habitats to reduce human-animal conflicts. Diluting legal protections for leopards will send a dangerous signal at a time when wildlife habitats are already under enormous pressure,” said NatConnect director BN Kumar.
He called for a comprehensive forest conservation policy that would increase forest cover while strictly regulating human encroachment into wildlife zones.
Activists also pointed to India’s global recognition of conservation initiatives such as Project Tiger and Project Lion, and argued that weakening legal safeguards for protected species would go against that vision.
Environmentalists also noted that the Maharashtra leadership has emphasized the need to balance development with conservation. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has repeatedly stated that “economy and ecology go hand in hand” and that human-animal conflict should be addressed through thoughtful and community-driven policies.
Sagar Shakti’s Nandakumar Pawar blamed widespread forest destruction due to mining, industrial expansion and infrastructure projects for pushing wildlife closer to human settlements. “Instead of dealing with habitat loss, the government is talking about killing deaf and innocent wild animals,” he said.
Published – 14 March 2026 18:33 IST
