Tigress and Last Surviving Cub Die at Kanha Reserve Amid Suspected Canine Distemper Outbreak

BHOPAL: A tigress and her last surviving cub died at Mukki quarantine facility in Madhya Pradesh's Kanha Tiger Reserve on Wednesday, days after three of her cubs perished in quick succession in what officials believe could be an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV). The deaths have pushed the tiger death toll in the state to 30 so far this year.

The tigress, T-141 from Sarhi range, lost three cubs between April 21 and April 25. As her condition deteriorated, forest teams rescued the tigress, about 8 to 10 years old, and her only surviving cub, 15 to 18 months old, and shifted them to Mukki quarantine facility for treatment.

Acting in accordance with guidelines issued by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the office of chief wildlife warden, a team of expert veterinarians conducted the post-mortem. Samples were collected for detailed examination. The initial cause of death was identified as lung infection. The cub's autopsy and disposal of remains were carried out as per protocol on Thursday.

Preliminary investigations point towards CDV, a highly contagious disease that attacks the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems of carnivores. Officials said the lung infection and earlier findings, including empty stomachs in the cubs, are consistent with symptoms associated with the virus.

CDV is known to spread from domestic dogs to wild carnivores, raising concerns about transmission at the forest–village interface. Deputy director P K Verma said although symptoms are like that of CDV, samples have been sent for detailed analysis.

Forest authorities suspect that the tigress and her cubs may have contracted the infection after feeding on a partially eaten kill that had been contaminated by larvae of an infected dog from outside the reserve. The possibility of spillover from stray dog populations has now left wildlife managers worried.

In response, a massive sanitisation and containment operation has been launched on a war footing across the reserve and adjoining buffer areas. Teams have been deployed to disinfect sensitive zones, intensify surveillance and vaccinate stray and village dogs to break the transmission chain.

Officials said the response is in line with advisories issued earlier by NTCA, which recommend creating immunisation buffers around tiger reserves based on the principle of herd immunity. As per the advisory, vaccinating a large proportion of stray dogs and other susceptible animals can act as a firewall, significantly reducing the risk of transmission to tigers. Empirical data suggests that vaccinating 70–80% of the local animal population can substantially curb the spread of the disease.

As part of this protocol, authorities are focusing on mass vaccination drives, real-time disease monitoring, and coordination with veterinary and animal husbandry departments. Measures such as removal and safe disposal of carcasses, chemical disinfection of affected areas, and installation of disinfectant points at entry gates are also being implemented. Awareness campaigns have been launched in surrounding villages to report suspected cases and limit interaction between stray animals and wildlife.