https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Sensitive Issue in the Wild: What’s Really Behind the Disappearance of 25 Tigers from Ranthambore?

Indian Masterminds delves into the alleged disappearance of 25 tigers in Ranthambore National Park, uncovering the truth behind the controversy and the steps being taken to resolve the issue.
Indian Masterminds Stories

A sensitive issue within the Forest Department should have been handled with care, but instead, it was portrayed as a failure on the part of the department. Despite the fact that the Forest Department was fulfilling its responsibilities, it was the department itself that released the controversial report. Over the past month, there has been a significant uproar over the news that 25 tigers were missing from Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park. The park is home to a total of 75 tigers, but a monitoring committee report released in October stated that there was no concrete evidence of the existence of 25 of them.

In response, the department swiftly formed a new committee to investigate the matter. The committee, led by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) and IFS officer Rajesh Kumar Gupta, has since confirmed the presence of 11 of the 25 missing tigers, with further updates expected soon. However, the way the issue was presented by the mainstream media focused more on casting blame than on providing accurate information about a highly sensitive situation.

To gain a deeper understanding of the situation, Indian Masterminds spoke with Mr. Pavan Kumar Upadhyay, a 1992 batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) & Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of Rajasthan, to uncover the true nature of the issue.

THE REPORT

On October 14 of this year, the Rajasthan Forest Department received the Tiger Monitoring report, which revealed that 25 tigers were missing in the state. Of these, 11 tigers had not been confirmed through camera traps or other monitoring methods for the past year. Additionally, 14 tigers were not tracked for the last six months, with little information available about their whereabouts. In response to this report, the department immediately formed a committee to investigate further.

When the updated Tiger Monitoring report was released on November 5, it confirmed that concrete evidence of the presence of 10 out of the 14 tigers had been found. This evidence included tiger marks captured by camera traps, complete with date, time, and location. However, the department does not typically share such detailed information publicly, nor do they disclose the individual tiger numbers, as this could put the animals at risk.

In fact, the department had already been preparing a weekly monitoring report since October. According to the department, evidence for the remaining four tigers out of the 14 is expected to be found soon. Mr Upadhyay explained, “During the monsoon, tigers often leave their territories and move to other areas. They may cross corridors and migrate to other tiger reserves or even other states.”

A tiger in Ranthambore

NOT THE FIRST TIME

This is not the first time the department has faced a situation where tigers were unaccounted for. Similar incidents have occurred several times in the past in Rajasthan. According to PCCF Mr Upadhyay, this has happened five times before, each time triggering an inquiry. In these cases, either a committee was formed or a senior officer was appointed to investigate the matter.

When asked about allegations of negligence within the department, Mr. Upadhyay responded, “There is always room for improvement. We must continue to refine our work. We’ve released this report, and we are actively addressing the issue. Yet, we are being blamed for negligence. Our intentions are positive; we are not here to harm anyone. Our goal is to improve the system. This directive was issued with the aim of enhancing our operations, not to demoralize anyone.”

THE COMMITTEE

The committee has been given a two-month timeframe to complete its work. However, the department is referring to it as a “corrective committee” rather than an investigative one. The goal, they say, is for the committee to offer recommendations on how the monitoring system can be improved, making it a fact-finding mission.

The committee will assess whether concrete evidence of these missing tigers can be found within the next two months. Additionally, the department is conducting age profiling on these tigers to better understand their conditions. As PCCF Upadhyay said, “For instance, if we have a tiger that is 18 years old, it raises the question—could such an elderly tiger survive long in the wild? While it may be able to live in captivity, it may not be able to thrive in the wild.” Therefore, the true status of these 11 tigers will only become clear once the committee’s report is released.

He further emphasized that, “Not only that, but we also want a clear protocol to be established for handling cases where concrete evidence of a tiger’s whereabouts is missing for an extended period, as outlined in the NTCA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).”

The order of forming committee

Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Mohan Charan Majhi
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi Issues Stern Warning to Government Employees Amid Corruption Arrests
406951-supreme-court-of-india-sc
SC Warns Govt: Ensure Dignity, Infrastructure for Retired Judges in Tribunals or Abolish Them
Chhattisgarh ex-gratia for martyrs
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Increases Ex-Gratia to ₹50 Lakh for Martyred Soldiers’ Families, Announces Welfare Boost for Veterans
Bhupender Yadav Delhi NCR
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Chairs Delhi-NCR Air Quality Meeting, Expands on Pollution Measures
supreme-court-4
SC Upholds Punjab & Haryana HC Order Quashing Abhay Chautala Summons in 2008 Defamation Case
Swadeshi Mela Bhopal
MP: CM Mohan Yadav Inaugurates Swadeshi Mela in Bhopal to Promote Local Artisans and Indigenous Cuisine
ACS Nupur Bora
Meet Assam ACS Officer Nupur Bora: Arrested in ₹2 Crore Corruption Case, ₹92 Lakh Cash, Gold & Diamonds Seized
AWEIL
Kishore Gurdasani Appointed Director (Operations) at AWEIL Following PESB Recommendation
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Uttam Kumar Sharma Interview
From Extinction to Exhilaration: The Untold Story and Future Vision of Project Cheetah | Led by IFS Uttam Kumar Sharma | Eco Warrior Awards 2025
K M Abharna IFS Eco Warrior Awards 2025
Meet K. M. Abharna, the IFS Officer Behind Avni’s Case and Vidya Balan’s Sherni Role
IFS Parveen Kaswan Interview
IFS Parveen Kaswan: Frontline Defender of India’s Wildlife and Jaldapara Rhino Protector | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Ishwarlal Gurjar UPSC
10th Grade Failure to Indian Police Service: Ishwarlal Gurjar’s UPSC Success Path
Read the inspiring journey of Ishwarlal Gurjar from a small village in Rajasthan to becoming an IPS officer....
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
Social Media
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
Tamil Nadu Gaur Rescue
Tiruchirappalli Forest Officials Risk Lives to Rescue Juvenile Gaur; Video Shared by IAS Officer Goes Viral
Trichy forest and fire teams risk lives to rescue a juvenile Indian gaur; IAS officer Supriya Sahu shares...
IAS Medha Roopam
IAS Medha Roopam’s Inspiring Dedication in Flood-Hit Noida Goes Viral: Focuses on Relief, Education Amid Heavy Rains
Books in One Hand, Umbrella in Other: Noida DM Medha Roopam Leads Flood Relief from the Front
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Mohan Charan Majhi
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi Issues Stern Warning to Government Employees Amid Corruption Arrests
406951-supreme-court-of-india-sc
SC Warns Govt: Ensure Dignity, Infrastructure for Retired Judges in Tribunals or Abolish Them
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Uttam Kumar Sharma Interview
K M Abharna IFS Eco Warrior Awards 2025
IFS Parveen Kaswan Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT