India, home to the world’s largest population of tigers, lost as many as 166 of these majestic animals in 2025, forty more than the previous year, due to various reasons, according to the latest data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The data also shows that Madhya Pradesh, dubbed the country’s ‘tiger state’, recorded the highest number of deaths at 55. Among other states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam reported 38, 13 and 12 tiger deaths last year, respectively.
Of these 166 dead tigers, 31 were cubs.
Experts believe that the main reason for the death of felines was the territorial struggle due to the space crisis.
The figures suggest that the country will see 40 more tiger deaths in 2025 compared to the previous year (2024), when it lost 126 of these big cats, top predators in the ecosystem that are considered the top of the food chain.
The first tiger death last year was reported from Maharashtra’s Bramhapuri forest division on January 2, where an adult male tiger died. This was followed three days later by the death of a female tiger in the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
The latest death of an adult male tiger was reported from North Sagar in Madhya Pradesh on December 28, according to NTCA data.
Wildlife expert Jairam Shukla, who has written extensively on tigers, said the main cause of tiger deaths in the country was territorial disputes.
“The tiger population has reached saturation point. They are facing problems in space to establish their territories,” he claimed.
Referring to Madhya Pradesh, Mr Shukla said the state has witnessed around 60% increase in tiger population since 2014. “This growth is unprecedented. The question is where is the territory for them? They are fighting for space and dying in MP where their population has grown exponentially,” he said.
According to the latest official data released on the big cat estimate for International Tiger Day 2023, the number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual increase of around 6%. India is estimated to host nearly 75% of the world’s tiger population, officials said.
When contacted, Principal Principal Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Subharanjan Sen said that Madhya Pradesh has the highest population of tigers in the world and hence is likely to see a higher number of deaths.
“Our department follows up every incident and makes great efforts to investigate every case. In cases of poaching, be it deliberate or accidental, we leave no stone unturned to ensure that the culprits are punished,” he said.
According to the official, the department has a strong patrolling system in the field and follows all standard operating protocols prescribed by the NTCA.
“Every tiger death is considered a case of poaching unless there is clear evidence to the contrary,” Mr Sen said.
The state also has a highly effective State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) which is successfully working against organized wildlife crime, including cases linked to Interpol Red Corner notices related to tiger poaching, he added.
Sen said Madhya Pradesh had 308 tigers in 2014, increasing to 526 in 2018 and further to 785 in 2022.
An all-India tiger census, which is conducted every four years, began this year and the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh is expected to grow further, he said.
According to official data, the total number of tiger deaths in Madhya Pradesh was 44 in 2023, 47 in 2024 and 55 so far in 2025. Of these, more than 38 deaths were attributed to natural causes. Five cases of seizure of tiger body parts were also reported.
The data shows that only 10 of these deaths were caused by poaching. At least seven of these were described as “non-targeted kills”, where the intention was not to kill a tiger, but mostly a wild boar. Seven cases involved death due to electrocution.
“Even so, all these cases are considered tiger poaching and are prosecuted in courts,” Sen said.
He said tigers are most vulnerable to natural death when they are cubs or when they disperse from their native areas. Tiger cubs stay with their mothers for at least 20 months, after which they, especially the males, move in search of new territories.
“In most forests, these dispersed tigers have to compete with local tigers. It is natural that many of them are killed by other tigers,” Mr Sen said.
Of the 38 tigers found dead of natural causes in the state this year, 19 were between one and two years old, Mr. Sen said, adding that most of the natural deaths were of cubs and young tigers.
Also, the fact that a large number of those killed are under the age of 2-3 shows that there is a lot of intraspecific competition as healthy forests are limited and the human-dominated landscape chokes off corridors that would otherwise help tigers migrate more freely between habitats, according to Mr Sen.
As reported earlier, 10 cases of poaching have been registered in which 21 people have been arrested and legal proceedings are underway, the PCCF said.
Published – 1 Jan 2026 14:48 IST
