However, despite this legislation against the use of live bait, BWC found that none other than the Government of India (including a few Defence units) using live bait as prey for carnivorous animals. Live bait has also been used by the Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, to trap a leopard.
Strong protests have been lodged by BWC, resulting in assurances that the practice would be discontinued.
Live Bait
Wild life, particularly big cats, often straying out of their habitats, mostly leopards or even the relocated African cheetahs from Kuno National Park, makes news pertaining to their appearance and capture either via tranquilisation or trapping with the options of being put back in the forest, sent to live in a zoo, or even being shot.
The Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines (u/s 38(O) of Wild Life Protection Act, 1972) issued in November 2019 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to deal with “Emergency arising due to straying of tigers in human dominated landscapes” states
“8(e) In case of confirmed livestock depredation/human injury/fatal encounters or frequent straying of tiger near human settlements set traps (automatic closure) with appropriate luring while avoiding disturbance, to trap the animal.”
Under “Suggested Steps on Loss to Human Life Due to Tiger/Leopard” this document also states to “Set up trap cages (automatic closure) in areas most frequented by the carnivore (with appropriate luring) for trapping.”
The same document under Design and Related Details of the In-Situ Enclosure to accommodate 2 tiger cubs recommends release of prey in enclosure (read canned hunting by tigers) and states
“3. Design: a. Two concentric circular plots with the inner circle being 10-15 hectares and the other being 35-40 hectares. The inner plot will house the tiger while the outer shall house the prey species.
5. Release of Prey: The release of prey shall be done in an irregular manner based on the last kill by the tiger so as to approximate natural conditions to the extent possible.
a. Prey population in the enclosure should be monitored for their health status and should be periodically released back in the wild vis-à-vis the habitat status to avoid stress/starvation.
b. Further, their release to the carnivore portion of the enclosure should be suitably adjusted by facilitating their passage from the larger, non-carnivore section.
c. The entire process has to be done erratically, following no fixed schedule and with minimum extraneous noise to prevent the development of a Pavlovian reflex in the tigers. Provision may be made to douse the sounds of the forest environment. However, here too care has to be taken to avoid conditioned reflexes developing in the tiger by playing these sounds even when food is not being introduced.”
Furthermore, the chapter “Standard Operating Procedure to deal with Orphaned/Abandoned Tiger Cubs and Old/Injured Tigers in the Wild” states
10i. Rearing the tiger cubs in-situ enclosure for wilding/re-wilding towards subsequent release in the wild
(k) A portion of the in-situ enclosure should be exclusively maintained for in-situ rearing of natural prey animals which are sympatric in the habitat without any inter-specific avoidance.
(l) Since natural wild prey increase in number in carnivore prone enclosures, an assessment of their number should be periodically done for releasing an appropriate number back in the wild to avoid stress conditions within the enclosure owing to competition for food and cover.
(o) The tiger cubs should be reared in the in-situ enclosure for a minimum of two years, and each cub should have a successful kill record of at least 50 prey animals, since ‘wilding’ process requires time.
“Standard Operating Procedure to deal with Tiger depredation on Livestock” states
“8. Causes/reasons/circumstances leading to tigers feeding on livestock:
a. Humans let loose their cattle in forest areas for grazing.
b. People tend to encroach upon forest land exposing their livestock to predation.
c. Tigers disperse into human dominated landscapes when the carrying capacity of a source area is achieved, forcing them to prey on livestock.
e. Tigers may become habituated to feeding on livestock due to the principles of optimal foraging.
Solution
In 2020 in Dhanpur in Gujarat, a shawl on which the blood stains of the deceased were present was used as bait; and in 2023 a blood-soaked mattress (the person attacked had bled to death the previous day on the mattress he was sleeping) was successfully used as bait to lure the leopard in Limkheda of Dahod district in Gujarat.
Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed and Shirur have sugarcane and fruit plantations which inadvertently provide ideal shelter, food and water for leopards. Increasing attacks on children, adults and livestock in 2025 resulted in the Maharashtra government sanctioning Rs 11 crore for cameras, cages and trained staff, and the Forest Department was given permission to catch and relocate up to 50 leopards from the region to Vantara at Jamnagar since the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar and Gorewada facility at Nagpur were already full. Some reports say up to 1,500 leopards would be relocated to Vantara which makes one wonder in view of the Forest Department estimating the region’s leopard population to be around 1,500. However, later a November 2025 news item disclosed that the Manikdoh centre was undergoing an upgrade to expand its capacity to accommodate 125 leopards. In addition, 4 new leopard care centres providing comprehensive healthcare and rehabilitation for up to 250 leopards each would be established on an emergency basis in Junnar division.
In April 2023 near Manchar (Maharashtra) a leopard was trapped in a cage with a goat as bait because two days earlier it had attacked a shepherd in a village nearby. In November 2025 following recent leopard attacks the Forest Department was informed by a scientist-professor that in his opinion a tiger (big cat – leopard) becomes a man-eater only when he has a tooth problem. He therefore felt that the department should periodically tranquilise and assess the condition of their teeth with X-rays and administer the necessary dental treatment. He also suggested that roads have good lighting. And last, but not least, an Ayyappa temple be built at a suitable location in the region as Lord Ayyappa is said to mount a tiger and ride to provide safety to people.
In August 2023 a wounded and sick 12 year old tigress was captured at Wayanand, Kerala. Another cage trap was again laid with a live goat to catch another tiger in the area.
In May 2025 the Forest Department placed a cage with a live goat as bait to catch a leopard in Chennimalai, Erode district in Tamil Nadu. And as is the norm the cage door is propped open with a trigger mechanism that slams shut when the leopard steps on the trigger or enters. The area is monitored round-the-clock using cameras and officials check the bait and surroundings to assess leopard activity and replenish the live bait (usually goat, sometimes chicken) as needed.
Census with Live Bait
Since 2014 Poonam Avlokan (full moon observation) is a census exercise carried out every full moon in Gujarat when about 2,000 people spend 24 hours assessing the number of lions and their locations. The Forest Department invites NGOs, experts & wildlife enthusiasts to join in this census for transparency and augmenting manpower. However, due to the COVID-19 lockdown from March 2020 onwards Gujarat’s lion population was estimated without holding the Poonam Avlokan with 2,000 persons. Observation was undertaken only by the forest staff and instead of remaining stationery at water points they kept moving to track sightings.
Lion shows featuring Live Bait
Once again in March 2012, BWC got to know that old, weak or unwanted cattle (buffaloes, bulls, cows and male calves) were tied in farmlands adjacent to the sanctuary thus enticing the Gir lions to come and kill them after sundown. Such kills and feasting was often witnessed by tourists for a price. And, the farm owner could claim and get compensation for his killed cattle. In response to BWC’s request we hope the Gujarat government’s Forest Department will quickly wake up to the illegality of the situation and take stern steps to halt it before it is too late because the lions have already begun attacking Maldharis (people who rear cattle) when they take their animals to graze.
In the beginning of 2019 BWC got to know cattle and calves were again being illegally fed to lions in order to attract them for tourists to view. BWC therefore wrote to the State Government of Gujarat. Also the cruelty was covered in Karuna-Mitra editorial of spring 2019. Later during the year, a BWC member visited the area and made extensive inquiries and found out that the cruel practice had been stopped fairly recently on receiving orders to do so.
Live bait for an old ailing Tigress
It was reported in May 2025 that a 23 month old tigress had killed 2 persons in less than a month in Ranthambore, Rajasthan. Since her birth Kankati and her siblings had been habituated to live bait offered to their mother Arrowhead. They kept stalking bait delivery staff and their vehicles, as well as hanging around the pen where buffalo calves were kept. Thus making life dangerous for the forest staff and visitors to Ranthambore.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) states tiger populations “need to be managed with minimum human intervention” and artificially feeding tigers to ensure their “longevity goes against the basic tenets” of wildlife conservation. Furthermore, the “natural process is facilitated by the ‘survival of the fittest’ through natural elimination of the aged/weaker individuals from a population” and “it is not advisable to intervene in this natural process through artificial feeding” as it “may also lead to habituation of wild tigers which may lead to human-wildlife interface problems like livestock or human depredation.”
Misplaced kindness of not letting a tiger die of starvation or at the hands of an adversary has been criticised by conservationists. There are also tiger who have been fed live bait and suffered due to being unable to hunt. Unfortunately, it is no longer rare for prey species (calves and goats) being shifted by the truckload to reserves.
This apart, be it Corbett in Uttarakhand, Bandipur in Karnataka, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh or Pench in Maharashtra tigers are being medically treated after they are injured in territorial fights. And, those that are unable to hunt are given live bait for years on end like Arrowhead of Ranthambhore. Instead of such artificial interference, all humans need to do is simply protect the forest so that conflict between tigers will work out as nature intended, and conflict between tigers and people does not occur.
Illegal and Inhumane
Earlier in February 2020 a BWC member asked the Government of Maharashtra under RTI how leopards were trapped but received no clear reply from all the departments concerned – the query kept getting forwarded within the Forest Department as no one wanted to reply. This proves that regularly live bait is being used and they know it is illegal to do so. Interestingly, a news item which appeared in August 2020 stated that between 2017 and 2020 at least 6 leopards had been trapped from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and released in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Trap cages set up contained live bait such as chickens.
In April 2020 BWC wrote to the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (Govt of India) about this practice going on all over the country, a photograph was attached, and it was pointed out that it was illegal under the WL (P) Act 1972 and the PCA Act 1960 and requested the Secretary to send a circular to all Chief Wildlife Wardens.
Then in June 2020 an online RTI was filed by BWC with the following questions:
1. On what grounds is it decided that particular leopards, tigers lions or other big cats should be captured?
2. What is the exact procedure of setting up a cage to capture them?
3. How many leopards, tigers, lions and other big cats have been captured in cages, in which places and when during the last 5 years?
4. How many leopards, tigers, lions and other big cats were captured in cages, where and when using dogs or goats or calves as live bait?
5. How many such dogs, goats and calves were killed by the leopards, tigers, lions and other big cats entering the cage, where and when?
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Maharashtra state replied to the information sought:
1. As per section 11 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Chief Wildlife Warden may, if he is satisfied that any wild animals specified in Schedule I (including Tiger & Leopard) has become dangerous to human life or is so disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery, by order in writing and stating the reasons thereof, permit any person to hunt such animals or cause such animal to be hunted.
As per section 12 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Chief Wildlife Warden, to grant permit, by an order in writing stating the reasons thereof, to any person, on payment of such fee as may be prescribed, which shall entitle the holder of such permit to hunt, subject to such conditions as may be specified therein, any wild animal specified I such permit, for the purpose of, –
(a) education; (b) scientific research; (bb) scientific management;
Expl.:- for the purposes of Cl.(bb) the expression “scientific management” means – (b) translocation of ay wild animal to an alterative suitable habitat; or (ii) population management of wildlife, without killing or poisoning or destroying any wild animals.
I Collection of specimens
(i) for recognized zoos subject to the permission under section 38-1 or
(ii) for museums and similar institutions;
Provided that o such permit shall be granted:
(a) in respect of any wild animal specified in Sch. I except with the previous permission of the Central Government, and
(b) in respect of ay other wild animal, except with the previous permission of the State Government.
And also, wild animals can be hunt/captured for rescue and for treatment.
2. A Standard Operating Procedure has been issued by the NTCA for the tiger by the MOEF, GoI for the leopard, which is available in the official website.
3. 4. & 5. Information is not available in the office. Asked to the concerned Division office.
The Dibrugarh Division, Assam’s Asstt Conservator of Forests (HQ) replied as follows:
1. Sometimes, the big cats particularly Leopards, Tigers etc. (Lions are not found in the Reserve Forests under Dibrugarh Forest Division) come out of Reserve Forests and kill domestic cattles including human being. Such animals are captured and released in their other natural habitat.
2. Whenever any information received from the public about killing domestic cattles/human being by leopard and other wild animals, then a cage is placed in that area to capture the animal.
3. Altogether 58 (Fifty eight) Nos. Leopards/Black Panthers have been captured in different locations (Tea Gardens, Homestead, etc.) in the last five years under Dibrugarh Forest Division.
4. 14 (Fourteen) Nos. Leopards captured in Cage by using Dogs as bait and the remaining 44 (Forty four) Nos. Leopards/Black Panthers have been captured in Cage by using Goats as bait.
5. No Goats/Dogs have been killed by Leopard/Black Panther using as bait while entering in the Cage.
The Golaghat Division, Assam replied as follows:
1. & 2. No answer given.
3. Leopard captured data during last 5 years under Golaghat Division are furnished. (The list stated dates of capture and place for as many as 40 leopards.)
4. Leopards are captured using live goat as bait kept in separate bait cage for each case.
5. No such goat killed by leopard kept as bait in bait cage separately.
The Kamrup Division, Assam replied as follows:
1. & 2. Since North Kamrup Division, Rangia is a Territorial Division the details as sought for may be collected from the Wildlife wing of the department.
3. In 2019 on date 06.07.2019, 1 (one) leopard was captured at IIT campus, Uttar Guwahati under Sila Range and transferred to Assam State Zoo, Guwahati.
4. The above one leopard was captured using goat as bait.
5. The goat used as bait could not be killed by the leopard.
However, replies received from 13 other divisions in Assam and one from Manipur stated no trapping had occurred.
A similar reply was received from the Nalanda Forest Division, the Gaya Forest Division, the Mithila Forest Division (Darbhanga & Madhubani) and the Munger Forest Division in Bihar.
However, the reply from Tirhut Forest Division, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, stated:
1. When animal is considered to be dangerous to mankind.
2. Nothing special. The cage is kept in affected area.
3. 4. & 5. Nil.
Whereas the Rohtas Forest Division, Sasaram replied:
1. The decision is taken by Chief Wildlife Warden, Bihar Patna based on the guidelines issued by NTCA & Govt of India from time to time.
2. As per extant guidelines of NTCA already in public domain.
3. 4. & 5. Nil.
The reply from Chandigarh stated:
1. To avoid man animal conflict.
2. We set up cage after finding the movement r location of the animal by following guidelines as prescribed by Govt of India.
3. No animal has been captured by the cage. One leopard was rescued by tranquilizer gun from Sector-5 Chandigarh on 30.03.2020.
4. & 5. Nil.
From J&K Kathua division replied:
1. First of all we fixed the cage in the particular area after that we put some meat and when they come inside the cage, then we tranquilizing the leopard.
2. Seeing the right place when we fixed it.
3. Nil.
4. One leopard is caught from Ramkot on dated 10.12.19 and then release in Manda Zoo Jammu.
5. No dogs, goats and calves were killed by the leopards, tigers, lions and other big cats on entering the cage.
From J&K Chenab Division Kishtwar replied:
1. When they become dangerous to life or are so disabled/diseased beyond recovery.
2. Once a sit has been identified, there is still the delicate process of actual setting of the trap. This involves blocking off potential routes around the trap, decorating the trap with vegetation to make it look slightly less alien, & setting up a pathway through the trap to ensure that any leopard venturing inside will definitely trigger the trap. Wild animal trap cage is made from light weight but sturdy material for rugged construction and easy transportation. The wild animal allured by a prey kept in a chamber connected to the cage and when the leopard approaches the prey, a mechanical trapping system gets activated to slide down the rear door to trap the leopard.
3. The years (between 2015-20) and places where 15 leopards were captured in cages stated.
4. The years (between 2015-20) and places where 7 leopards were captured using dogs in cages stated.
5. Nil.
The Shopian Wildlife Division answered:
1. The wild animals involved in Man Wildlife Conflict incidents are captured only when they come down to the human inhabited areas (villages). All such captures are effected under the provisions of section
11 (1) (ac) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 when it is perceived that the animal has become dangerous to human life.
2. The procedure for capturing the problem animas in followed in a manner that minimum trauma is caused to the animal. Specialized automatic capture and transport cages have been designed to capture the leopards involved in Human-Widlife Conflict. The cages are installed in problem areas usually close to crop fields and orchards during any eventuality.
3. From 2015 to 2020 at Shopian 17 leopards, and at Pulwama 20 leopards, were captured.
4. No live baits are used.
5. N.A.
The office of the Wildlife Warden Jammu replied:
1. When they become dangerous to human life/repeatedly entering human habitation.
2. By placing appropriate cages with suitable bait in separate cage is placed near frequently reported/sighted locations for several days under periodic inspection by wildlife team by taking proper care of bait.
3 & 4. The years (between 2015-20) and places where 10 leopards were captured in cages stated.
5. Nil.
The reply from the government of West Bengal, Director of forest, Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife & Chief Wildlife Warden replied:
1. As per Section 11(a) of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
2. It is decided by trained field staff and qualified persons based on guideline for the same.
3. Data not available.
4. Data not available. No live bait is used.
5. None.
Live bait in Zoos and in the Wild
However, just before this announcement, the Palpur royal family descendants filed a petition in the Sessions court to reclaim their ancestral properties consisting of a fortress known as Palpur Garhi and their jagir land located on the banks of the Kuno river which were vacated when Kuno was declared a national park in 1981. They stated that it was meant for Gir lions which were not brought there, and not for cheetahs.
Further, BWC was shocked to learn that another 12 cheetahs arrived from South Africa at KNP and that every year for 10 years another 12 would be added. (Much later it was revealed that the agreement had fallen through.) Also a Cheetah Safari would be launched in February or March 2023 to generate money from tourists.
It was also revealed that the cheetah’s favourite prey is spotted deer (cheetal), sambar deer, four-horned antelope, blackbuck, wild boar, peafowl, hare/rabbits and nilgai. In other words all these species were released in their enclosure for the cheetahs to hunt and eat. In fact, they were taught to hunt them.
In mid-November 2022 the 3rd male cheetah was released in the canned hunting boma (Swahili word for livestock enclosure) where the earlier released 2 cheetahs had already cornered and killed deer. The remaining 5 females could not be released from their quarantine pen then because a leopard that was still lurking inside could not be trapped/snared. Let us not forget that leopards are known to attack adult cheetahs and that there are 9 leopards per 100 square kms in KNP so in order to keep them away from the cheetahs, they are bound to be frequently trapped with live bait. Surprisingly, in March 2023 after 20 African cheetahs had already been introduced at KNP, the Government began re-examining the relocation of some Gir lions.
When in July 2023 more South African cheetahs died, the total number of deaths rose to 8 and counting… They died between 27 March and 14 July… plus 2 were missing and 1 got maggots under its tracking collar.
In August 2024 was reported that no information on Cheetahs at their current place in KNP or future abode in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Mandsaur, was forthcoming under RTI (Right To Information) with the MP state government first citing national security, and then international ties! This was followed by the news of the death of Pawan who had fathered two litters and was considered the only one who was able to live free.
In September 2024 the Madhya Pradesh audit findings obtained via a RTI activist stated that Cheetahs were not a part of the Kono management plan and that Kono had been marked for the relocation of Gir lions as their secondary habitat yet no effort had been made to reintroduce lions. (Although the court ordered in 2013 a second home for lions to be created at Kono, Gujarat state’s objections beginning 1995 continued. In fact, long ago Nawab Rasulkhanji of Junagadh had first refused to give any lions to Gwalior state around 1900.)
This was followed by the news that “India mulls interstate cheetah conservation complex in 25 years” based on a report released by the Environment Ministry which stated that a fresh batch of cheetahs is likely to be brought to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary by the end of this year and they would be released into free-ranging conditions over the next 5 years. Kuno (Madhya Pradesh) and Gandhi Sagar (Rajasthan) were adjacent and after prey availability etc. were in place 60-70 cheetahs could managed here under “Project Cheetah”.
In view of the above, BWC is sceptical not only about the future, but can’t help but wonder how many cheetahs are alive inside and outside KNP.
News in November 2024 stated that KNP had 28 cheetahs of which 15 were cubs – a South African cheetah had delivered 4 recently. A few days later she was suspected of killing her cubs. But by February 2025 following the birth of 2 cubs (delivered by cheetah Veera) the count was less – 26 cheetahs, including 14 cubs.
Then on 4 December 2024 to commemorate International Cheetah Day 2 males were released into the wild at KNP following which there was an attempt to poach them.
BWC was surprised to know that despite cheetahs not flourishing in India, 20 more cheetahs, this time from Kenya, were due to arrive between 25 February and 25 September, in an effort to bolster the population of the species. They would be kept at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur District before being released into the wild. Eventually in April 2025, in view of the Gandhi Sagar Sancturary having a significant number of spotted deer, Indian gazelles and blue bulls (read live bait or food for cheetahs) 2 male cheetahs were transferred there from KNP.
Earlier, in March 2025 a female cheetah and her 4 cubs were released into the wild at KNP raising the number to 17 in the wild. Forget the intention of offering tourists to spot them during safari rides., one of the cheetahs released a month earlier into the wild, along with her 4 cubs strayed out of KNP in search of food and were pelted with stones and sticks by villagers because they had surrounded a cattle herd near the Sheopur-Gwalior railway tracks and killed a calf.
In April 2025 including 5 newly born cubs (delivered by Nirvah) at KNP and the 2 males that were sent to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, the total number of cheetahs rose to 29, of which 19 were cubs.
In November 2025, 8 cheetahs from Botswana were gifted to the President of India on her visit to the nation. In 2026 despite again violating the IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) protocol that 2 sub-species should not be introduced in a region, more are expected from Nambia and Kenya. Meanwhile, Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary (MP) and Banni grasslands (Gujarat) are being prepared for introduction or relocation from KNP.
One more KNP female cheetah that had been brought from Nambia died in July 2025 following a hunting attempt inside her soft-release enclosure, bringing down their count to 26.
On 4 December 2025 International Cheetah Day, it was announced that India sustains a thriving population of 32 cheetahs, of which 21 were India-born cubs, and 8 from Botswana were in quarantine. Notwithstanding, 1 of the 2 cubs released in Kuno was found dead the very next day, and the second one was run over by a speeding car on the highway on the third day.
In February 2026 South African cheetahs Aasha gave birth to 5 and Gamini to 3 cubs – 27 having been born in India. Thus, cheetah population in the country stood at 38. Later after 9 Botswana cheetahs were released at Kuno, the population rose to 48. Then in March 2026 Jwala (from Namibia) delivered 5 cubs, thus raising the count to 53 cheetahs at KNP.
It was announced in the MP Assembly that the state government spends Rs 35,000 daily on goat meat to feed the cheetahs and during fiscal 2024-25 they spent Rs 1.3 crore. Imagine the number of poor, innocent goats that were bred to be killed just to feed the cheetahs… BWC feels wild animals killing in nature is different to humans supplying goats for cheetahs.
Operation Bhediya
The Editorial of the Times of India of 31 August 2024 stated “Wolves avoid humans. Attacks are triggered when wolves feel threatened, over food scarcity or loss of habitat, or when protecting their young. Flooding of habitat, loss of food, cubs driven over by tractors unknowingly are some of the triggers discussed among the terrified locals… We shouldn’t make villains out of threatened animals.”
Way back in 1996 when huts had no doors, wolves killed 33 children and mauled 20 other children from Lakhimpur to Manjanpur in UP. This happened because villagers were stealing cubs from their lairs. So, a reward was given for every wolf killed.
28 years later Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh witnessed a spate of attacks, with at least 10 persons (mostly children) killed, and more than 25 others injured in a span of 45 days in July/August 2024 by wolves. In response the Forest Department launched Operation Bhediya to capture the wolves in cages and later issued shoot-at-sight orders. Efforts also included thermal drones, snap cameras, firecrackers, as well as elephant dung and urine to drive them away; and an innovative effort of using brightly coloured ‘teddy-dolls’ soaked in a child’s urine (so it emits a natural human scent) as bait strategically placed near the riverbanks, close to the wolves’ dens. They captured 5 of the 6 wolves that seemed to be posing a threat in the 35 villages in Bahraich. One of the captured wolves died in the cage, 1 was shifted to Gorakhpur and 2 to Lucknow Zoos. Whereas some experts felt that it was very likely one lone wolf was the killer, some conservationists said the attacks were by hybrid wolf-dogs (wolves mating with feral/stray dogs).
Live Prey introduced in Tiger Reserves
Telangana:
Spotted deer, sambar and peafowl from Kakatiya Zoological Park, Nehru Zoological Park and Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park were in 2023 translocated to Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Amrabad Tiger Reserve, Kawal Tiger Reserve, Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary and Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary.
Maharashtra:
Sambar and spotted deer from Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park were in 2019 translocated to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
Madhya Pradesh:
Spotted deer and barasingha from Bandhavgarh National Park and Pench Tiger Reserve (in 2020), and Kanha National Park (in 2015 & 2023) were translocated to Sanjay-Dubri National Park and Tiger Reserve, Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary and Satpura Tiger Reserve.
Karnataka:
Sambar and chital from Sri Chhamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo) were in 2022 translocated to Kali Tiger Reserve.
Jharkhand:
Spotted deer, black buck, barking deer, sambar and nilgai from Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park were in 2024 translocated to the Palamu Tiger Reserve.
Page last updated on 11/03/26