Over 2k stray dogs vaccinated: MP says in response to HC order on Kanha tiger deaths

Jabalpur/Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh govt told a high court division bench that more than 2000 stray dogs in the vicinity of the state’s Kanha tiger reserve have been vaccinated in light of a spate of tiger deaths linked to canine distemper virus (CDV).The govt’s submission came in the form of a status report filed in response to a previous order by the Jabalpur bench, to quarantine and vaccinate stray dogs in and around Kanha while also taking requisite curative measures to prevent CDV deaths.Dogs are typically deemed the primary carriers of the virus that infects wild carnivores, especially tigers.The HC’s order and the subsequent status report by the state came on a PIL over a disturbing trail of tiger deaths at Kanha from CDV infection.The petitioner, Mumbai-based advocate Subrat Chakravorty, flagged a string of recent big cat deaths at the national park due to a suspected CDV outbreak.Two tigresses and their semi-adult cubs at Kanha perished in April, this year, while a tiger died the following month, on May 19. All the big cat fatalities were tied to a suspected CDV outbreak. Subsequently, two more tigers were found dead in Balaghat district and the Kisli area.

As many as eight tiger deaths were reported in a month in and around the Kanha reserve, all linked to CDV.After the filing of the govt’s status report, the counsel for the petitioner said since there remained a risk of the virus jumping to tigers in other neighbouring reserves as well, it was advisable for dogs roaming in areas around other reserves to be vaccinated as well.Invoking a 2025 Supreme Court directive to fill all vacant posts in tiger reserves across the country, the counsel said several such posts in MP reserves are still vacant.He also alleged insufficient funding from the Centre for tiger reserves, prompting the bench to direct both the Union and state govts to file separate responses on the issue.