From ‘Tiger School’ to tragic end: Rewilded cub N7 dies weeks after release into the wild

N7’s story began in 2023 in Pench Tiger Reserve, where the cub was found abandoned when it was barely three to four months old. According to the DFO, the cub had been separated from its mother and would not have survived without human intervention. “It was rescued from Pench in 2023. It was around three to four months old and abandoned by its mother. Our team reached the spot and sent it to the rewilding centre,” Singh said.

The cub was moved to Kanha, where it became part of a specialised rewilding programme at the Ghorella facility, often referred to by forest staff as the “tiger school”.

“I was part of the team involved in the rewilding process. We created a carnivore-proof enclosure that mimicked jungle conditions. We created conditions of the wild and helped develop the tiger’s instincts, like how to kill, how to leap, how to ambush,” the DFO said, explaining the process designed to ensure that rescued cubs do not become dependent on humans.

The Ghorella rewilding centre, located within Kanha Tiger Reserve, has played a critical role in Madhya Pradesh’s tiger conservation strategy. “This was the 10th tiger that passed out from this school,” Singh said, underscoring the significance of the programme, which aims to return orphaned or distressed cubs to the wild as fully functional predators.

After spending nearly two years in semi-wild conditions, N7 was assessed as fit for release. Before translocation, the tiger was tranquilised by a team of veterinarians.

The tiger was translocated and released into the Nauradehi landscape on January 18. It was fitted with a satellite radio collar to allow round-the-clock monitoring of its movements. “On the 18th, it was released. We were tracking its movement through the collar and maintained a safe distance,” Singh said.

Forest officials began noticing unusual behaviour in the days leading up to the discovery of the carcass. “It was not moving a lot, as we see in most cases. Usually, tigers keep shifting locations, but this time it stayed in the same place for several days,” the DFO said. When the animal stopped moving altogether, a field team was sent to physically verify its condition. “When we approached, we saw that it had died,” Singh said.

The rising tiger fatalities prompted wildlife activist Ajay Dubey to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, alleging that tiger mortality figures, especially the 54 deaths in 2025 and the early spike in 2026, reflect negligence, lax monitoring, and failures to implement adequate anti-poaching and safety protocols.

According to the latest figures submitted before the Madhya Pradesh High Court, at least 10 tigers have died in Madhya Pradesh so far in 2026. During hearings, the court directed senior officials, including the Field Director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, to submit detailed status reports on tiger mortality, the causes behind each case, and actions taken against those responsible.

In the previous year alone, 54 tiger deaths were recorded in Madhya Pradesh — the highest annual toll in the state since Project Tiger was launched in 1973.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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