Overview
- The male tiger, which patrol teams found Tuesday in the Mukki range, showed severe lung infection on post-mortem and has samples sent to Jabalpur for confirmation within two to three days.
- The School of Wildlife Forensic and Health previously confirmed that a tigress and four cubs who died in April were killed by canine distemper virus, raising concern that the disease may now be in another part of the reserve.
- Following Tuesday’s discovery, staff sealed a nearby water body, disinfected it with bleach and lime, and burned scat and food remains to keep other animals from exposure, while patrols and camera checks were stepped up.
- Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the Centre and the state are treating the outbreak as urgent, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority told tiger states on May 5 to heighten checks and improve disease tracking.
- Kanha officials link the risk to stray and domestic dogs entering core areas, and a rabies and distemper vaccination drive for dogs is underway in core and buffer zones to cut spillover to wildlife.