India loses 166 tigers in 2025, forty more than previous year; MP accounts for 55 deaths
Bhopal: India, home to the world's largest tiger population, has lost as many as 166 of these majestic animals in 2025, forty more than the previous year, due to various reasons, as per the latest data of 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, respectively, in the bygone year.
Of these 166 deceased tigers, 31 were cubs.
Experts feel territorial infighting due to space crunch was the major reason for the death of the felines.
The figures indicate that the country recorded 40 more tiger deaths in 2025 as compared to the previous year (2024) when it lost 126 of these big cats, the apex predators in the ecosystem who are considered to be at the top of the food chain.
The first tiger fatality of the bygone year was reported from the Bramhapuri forest division in Maharashtra on January 2, where an adult male tiger died. This was followed by the death of a female tiger inside the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh three days later.
The most recent death of an adult male tiger was reported from North Sagar in Madhya Pradesh on December 28, as per the NTCA data.
Wildlife expert Jairam Shukla, who has written extensively on tigers, said territorial infighting was a major cause behind tiger deaths in the country.
"The tiger population has reached a saturation point. They are facing problems in space to establish their territories," he contended.
Referring to Madhya Pradesh, Shukla said the state has witnessed around a 60 per cent increase in tiger population since 2014. "This growth is unprecedented. The question is where is the territory for them? They are fighting over space and dying in MP where their population has grown exponentially," he said.
According to the last official data released on the big cat estimation on International Tiger Day in 2023, the number of tigers in India increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, marking an annual rise of around six per cent. India is estimated to host nearly 75 per cent of the world's tiger population, officials said.
When contacted, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Subharanjan Sen said Madhya Pradesh has the highest tiger population in the world and, therefore, it is likely to record a higher number of deaths.
"Our department tracks every incident and makes extensive efforts to investigate each case. In cases of poaching, whether intentional or accidental, we leave no stone unturned to ensure punishment for the culprits," he said.
According to the official, the department has a strong field patrolling system and follows all Standard Operating Protocols prescribed by the NTCA.
"Every tiger death is treated as a case of poaching unless there is clear evidence to the contrary," Sen said.
The state also has a highly effective State Tiger Strike Force (STSF), which has been working successfully against organised 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, a number that rose to 526 in 2018 and further to 785 in 2022.
The all-India tiger census, conducted every four years, has begun this year and the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh is expected to increase further, he said.
According to official data, total tiger deaths in Madhya Pradesh stood at 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 involving seizure of tiger body parts were also reported.
The data show that only 10 of these deaths were due to poaching. Of these, at least seven were described as "non-targeted killings", where the intent was not to kill a tiger but mostly wild boar. Seven cases involved deaths due to electrocution.
"Even so, all these are treated as cases of tiger poaching and are being prosecuted in courts," Sen said.
He said tigers are most vulnerable to natural deaths when they are cubs or when they disperse from their natal areas. Tiger cubs remain with their mothers for at least 20 months, after which they, especially males, move out in search of new territories.
"In most forests, these dispersing tigers have to compete with resident tigers. It is natural that many of them are killed by other tigers," Sen said.
Of the 38 tigers found dead due to natural causes in the state this year, 19 were aged between one and two years, Sen said, adding that cubs and young tigers accounted for the bulk of natural deaths.
Also the fact that a large number of those killed are less than 2-3 years old shows that there is a lot of intraspecific competition as healthy forests are limited and as human dominated landscapes choke out corridors that would otherwise help tigers migrate more freely between habitats, according to 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.
