World · South & Central Asia · 2 hrs ago
Madhya Pradesh High Court orders probe into two Kanha tiger deaths
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered an investigation into two recent tiger deaths at Kanha Tiger Reserve.
The deaths occurred in September and October, and the court told the state government to submit a report.
A lawyer’s public-interest case says canine distemper virus may be linked to tiger deaths at the reserve.
The petition says 20 deaths have been suspected to involve the virus, and five postmortem reports identified it as the cause.
It says infected dogs and shared water sources could spread the virus, while the state says more than 2,000 dogs near reserves have been vaccinated.
The court also asked the central government to respond to claims that funding for tiger reserves was cut.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 16.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the state government to investigate the deaths of two tigers in Kanha Tiger Reserve and submit a report.
The deaths occurred in September and October, and the court set the next hearing for November 16, 2026.
The order came during a public-interest case raising concerns that canine distemper virus may be linked to tiger deaths in the reserve.
The petitioner says 20 tiger deaths in Kanha have been suspected to be linked to the virus, and that five post-mortem reports identified it as the cause.
The state government told the court that more than 2,000 dogs near Kanha and other tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh had been vaccinated.
- Who
- The Madhya Pradesh High Court, hearing a petition filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Subrat Chakraborty.
- What
- The court ordered an investigation into two tiger deaths in Kanha Tiger Reserve and a report on their causes.
- When
- The order was made on Monday, October 26, 2026. The next hearing is set for November 16, 2026.
- Where
- Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- The petition raised concerns that canine distemper virus may be linked to tiger deaths and questioned whether adequate disease safeguards were followed.
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The petition cited deaths of tigress T-141 and her four cubs, tigress T-122 and tiger T-220, which it linked to canine distemper virus.
Two more tigers died in Kanha, according to the court reports.
The High Court ordered the state government to investigate the two deaths and submit a report.
The next hearing is scheduled.
- Deaths under investigation
- Two tigers
- Next hearing
- November 16, 2026
- Suspected deaths cited by petitioner
- 20 tigers in Kanha
- Post-mortem reports cited
- Five identified the virus as the cause
- Dogs vaccinated
- More than 2,000 near Kanha and other Madhya Pradesh tiger reserves
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the tiger becomes a simple cow, giving up its natural aggression and hunting instincts