<p>Hubballi: India lost nearly 166 tigers in 2025, second highest in last five years. Worryingly, 60% of these tigers died outside the protected areas.</p>.<p>According to the data compiled by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the statutory body monitoring the project tiger, Madhya Pradesh, which is home to the highest number of tigers (785), reported the death of 55 tigers. This was followed by Maharashtra 38, Karnataka 15, Kerala 13 and Assam 12 tiger deaths. As per the 2022 tiger census Karnataka was home to 563 tigers, followed by Uttarakhand 560 and Maharashtra 444.</p>.<p>Shrinking habitat and increasing population of tigers has resulted in the majority of tiger reserves reaching saturation levels.</p>.Big cats and monsoon mysteries.<p>NTCA data shows that 70% of the tiger deaths are due to natural reasons, due to territorial fights.</p>.<p>Experts expressed concern regarding the excess use of electric fencing across India that is resulting in deaths of not just tigers, but also elephants, leopards and other wild animals. They also say that less than 5% tiger mortality of the overall population is not a worrying sign and given its high population, the deaths would be naturally high. </p>.<p>Qamar Quereshi, former nodal officer with the Wildlife Institute of India-NTCA Tiger Cell, says India’s tiger mortality rate is not alarming or worrying. “Due to lack of space, the majority of tigers are dispersing out of protected areas. This is resulting in accidental deaths of both humans and tigers. However, these numbers haven’t reached alarming levels. India has put in an excellent reporting mechanism, which is resulting in recording of each and every death. Unnatural deaths of tigers have come down drastically in India,” he says.</p>.<p>Given its high mortality rates, NTCA earlier used to not record the death of tiger cubs. However, in 2025 it has reported the death of 31 cubs.</p>.<p>India was home to at least 3,682 tigers as per the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) conducted in 2022. India recorded its worst tiger deaths in 2023 when 182 tigers died, followed by 166 in 2025, which is 40 more than the previous year.</p>.<p>Karnataka, in 2025 reported three incidents of unnatural deaths of tigers where the state lost three adult tigers and four cubs.</p>.<p>Another eight tigers died of natural deaths. However, this data does not include the death of five cubs that were shifted to a rehabilitation centre after being rescued from the wild.</p>.<p>Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) P C Ray says: “The perception that so many tigers have died doesn’t give correct picture, since death of cubs should not be counted among tiger deaths. The birth rate and survival rate of tigers in Karnataka is much higher than the mortality rate. Majority of the female tigress is littering three to five cubs a season because of better protection and food availability. Even with 50% survival chances, the number of tiger population in the state is huge.”</p>
<p>Hubballi: India lost nearly 166 tigers in 2025, second highest in last five years. Worryingly, 60% of these tigers died outside the protected areas.</p>.<p>According to the data compiled by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the statutory body monitoring the project tiger, Madhya Pradesh, which is home to the highest number of tigers (785), reported the death of 55 tigers. This was followed by Maharashtra 38, Karnataka 15, Kerala 13 and Assam 12 tiger deaths. As per the 2022 tiger census Karnataka was home to 563 tigers, followed by Uttarakhand 560 and Maharashtra 444.</p>.<p>Shrinking habitat and increasing population of tigers has resulted in the majority of tiger reserves reaching saturation levels.</p>.Big cats and monsoon mysteries.<p>NTCA data shows that 70% of the tiger deaths are due to natural reasons, due to territorial fights.</p>.<p>Experts expressed concern regarding the excess use of electric fencing across India that is resulting in deaths of not just tigers, but also elephants, leopards and other wild animals. They also say that less than 5% tiger mortality of the overall population is not a worrying sign and given its high population, the deaths would be naturally high. </p>.<p>Qamar Quereshi, former nodal officer with the Wildlife Institute of India-NTCA Tiger Cell, says India’s tiger mortality rate is not alarming or worrying. “Due to lack of space, the majority of tigers are dispersing out of protected areas. This is resulting in accidental deaths of both humans and tigers. However, these numbers haven’t reached alarming levels. India has put in an excellent reporting mechanism, which is resulting in recording of each and every death. Unnatural deaths of tigers have come down drastically in India,” he says.</p>.<p>Given its high mortality rates, NTCA earlier used to not record the death of tiger cubs. However, in 2025 it has reported the death of 31 cubs.</p>.<p>India was home to at least 3,682 tigers as per the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) conducted in 2022. India recorded its worst tiger deaths in 2023 when 182 tigers died, followed by 166 in 2025, which is 40 more than the previous year.</p>.<p>Karnataka, in 2025 reported three incidents of unnatural deaths of tigers where the state lost three adult tigers and four cubs.</p>.<p>Another eight tigers died of natural deaths. However, this data does not include the death of five cubs that were shifted to a rehabilitation centre after being rescued from the wild.</p>.<p>Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) P C Ray says: “The perception that so many tigers have died doesn’t give correct picture, since death of cubs should not be counted among tiger deaths. The birth rate and survival rate of tigers in Karnataka is much higher than the mortality rate. Majority of the female tigress is littering three to five cubs a season because of better protection and food availability. Even with 50% survival chances, the number of tiger population in the state is huge.”</p>