429 tigers killed by poachers since 2008, reveals RTI reply

As many as 429tigershave been poached and killed since 2008 across the country, with the maximum of 71 in Madhya Pradesh during the period, revealed data obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Year-wise, the maximum killings took place in 2011 when 80 tigers were poached, while the minimum of 17 occurred in 2015, according to the data from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The WCCB is a statutory body formed to combat organised wildlife crime in the country.

In 2018, 22 tigers were killed, down from 25 in 2017 and 48 in 2016, it stated in a written response.

Noida-based lawyer Ranjan Tomar had sought state-wise data from the bureau on the number of tigers killed by poachers since 2008.

The maximum killings of 71tigershave been reported from MP, followed by 46 each in Maharashtra and Karnataka, 42 each in Assam and Chhattisgarh and 35 in Uttarakhand during the period, according to the data.

Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh .