How a virus carried by dogs is killing tigers in Kanha National Park

Even as the Supreme Court allows euthanasia for rabid and aggressive dogs in urban settings, tigers continue to fall prey at the Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh to a deadly virus carried by dogs.

Four tigers died in April due to the highly contagious Canine Distemper Virus (CDV). A fifth mortality was reported on May 19, with strong suspicion of CDV as the cause of death.

The forest department has the mandate to inoculate dogs living in villages on the peripheries of tiger reserves. Clearly, the forest department has failed on that count.

Kanha National Park deputy director Prakash Verma said they have launched intensive vaccination of dogs living in villages adjoining the boundaries of the park. “A total of 100 dogs have been vaccinated in eight villages,” Verma said, adding that state and union government protocols to control CDV were being followed. For instance, water sources potentially used by the dead tigers have been cordoned off to avoid spread of the virus.

On April 22, two tiger cubs, aged about 12 months, were found dead in the Sarhi range of Kanha National Park. Another cub and their mother were found unwell. They were taken for treatment of respiratory distress and died a few days later.

Tests conducted by the Jabalpur-based School of Wildlife Forensics and Health indicated respiratory tract infection from CDV. The report of a second confirmatory test is expected in the next few days.

On May 19, Kanha staff in the Mohgaon beat of Mukki range found T 220 or Mahavir, a six-year-old tiger, in a distressed state. By the time veterinary teams arrived, Mahavir had died. The post-mortem showed infection in the lungs. However, the tiger’s body also bore injury marks, perhaps from a territorial fight.

“We have sent the viscera for lab tests. This will confirm if CDV was the cause of death,” said L. Krishna Murthy, additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Madhya Pradesh.

CDV, found in meat-eating dogs and cat family animals, mostly spreads from contaminated food and water sources.

Verma said it is possible that CDV-infected dogs (pet or stray) in villages around Kanha National Park had fed on a tiger kill. The prey could have been infected this way, and in turn may have passed on the infection to the tigers that fed on it subsequently.

Every year, the forest department has the mandate to vaccinate dogs and cattle around tiger reserves. This year, Verma claimed, 300 dogs were vaccinated in February in the Kisli range of Kanha. However, the incidents of tigers being infected by CDV took place at another location in the national park.

On May 4, another tiger was reported dead in Kisli range, but the park management said that death occurred due to infighting with another male.

The Kanha National Park has more than 150 tigers and is one of the most renowned tiger habitats of India.

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