<p>The year bygone has proved to be unsafe for wildlife in Karnataka. As many as 15 tigers died in the State’s protected forests in 2012, according to a report of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The tiger census conducted in 2010 disclosed that Karnataka had 300 tigers. Of the 41 tiger reserves in India, five are in Karnataka - Bandipur, Nagarahole, Bhadra, Anashi-Dandeli and Biligiri Ranganathaswamy protected tiger forest.<br /><br />According to the report uploaded on its website, NTCA has said that out of the 15 tigers which died in 2012 in Karnataka, six were poached, while the rest died a natural death. <br />The State has the distinction of having highest number of tigers in the country. <br /><br />Apparently, ‘criminal tribes’ from North India are targetting tigers in the protected reserves. Poachers from Bawaria tribe were arrested in Biligiri Ranganathaswamy forests July last year. They had set up jaw-traps in forests for poaching tigers.<br /><br />Across the country<br /><br />The report says that 88 tigers died across the country in 2012 and a majority of them have fallen prey to poachers in Karnataka and Maharashtra. <br /><br />The casuality was comparatively less in 2011 - when 56 tigers died, six of them in Karnataka, three of which were poached.<br /><br />Wildlife Biologist Sanjay Gubbi said reserved forests adjacent to protected tiger reserves should be made part of the tiger reserves. <br /><br />He said declaring Male Mahadeshwara Hills, Hanur, Yedeyarahalli and Ramapura reserved forests too should be declared wildlife reserve to check poaching.</p>
<p>The year bygone has proved to be unsafe for wildlife in Karnataka. As many as 15 tigers died in the State’s protected forests in 2012, according to a report of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The tiger census conducted in 2010 disclosed that Karnataka had 300 tigers. Of the 41 tiger reserves in India, five are in Karnataka - Bandipur, Nagarahole, Bhadra, Anashi-Dandeli and Biligiri Ranganathaswamy protected tiger forest.<br /><br />According to the report uploaded on its website, NTCA has said that out of the 15 tigers which died in 2012 in Karnataka, six were poached, while the rest died a natural death. <br />The State has the distinction of having highest number of tigers in the country. <br /><br />Apparently, ‘criminal tribes’ from North India are targetting tigers in the protected reserves. Poachers from Bawaria tribe were arrested in Biligiri Ranganathaswamy forests July last year. They had set up jaw-traps in forests for poaching tigers.<br /><br />Across the country<br /><br />The report says that 88 tigers died across the country in 2012 and a majority of them have fallen prey to poachers in Karnataka and Maharashtra. <br /><br />The casuality was comparatively less in 2011 - when 56 tigers died, six of them in Karnataka, three of which were poached.<br /><br />Wildlife Biologist Sanjay Gubbi said reserved forests adjacent to protected tiger reserves should be made part of the tiger reserves. <br /><br />He said declaring Male Mahadeshwara Hills, Hanur, Yedeyarahalli and Ramapura reserved forests too should be declared wildlife reserve to check poaching.</p>