CURRENT AFFAIRS | 30 APRIL 2026
CLAT GK + Environment & Wildlife Law
In a deeply troubling development for India’s flagship tiger conservation programme, a tigress identified as T-141 and three of her four cubs died within nine days, with the fourth cub critically ill, at the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The first carcass — a cub — was found on 21 April 2026; subsequent deaths followed on 24, 25 April, and the tigress later in the week. Forest officials, after initially suspecting starvation, identified respiratory infection and lung disease as the cause. The surviving cub from the litter is in critical condition and has been shifted to quarantine for treatment.
Kanha is one of India’s largest and most iconic tiger reserves and the inspiration, by popular tradition, for Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. The deaths spotlight the persistent vulnerability of even well-protected tiger populations to disease outbreaks.
What Happened
According to the Madhya Pradesh forest department, T-141 — a resident tigress of Kanha’s core area — was being closely tracked along with her four cubs (estimated to be roughly one year old). The first cub carcass was discovered on 21 April; the second on 24 April; the third on 25 April; T-141 herself died over the following days, and the fourth cub remains in critical condition under veterinary care. Veterinary post-mortems pointed to acute respiratory infection compounded by lung pathology. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has dispatched an inquiry team to determine whether the disease originated in the wild prey base or from contact with feral domestic animals.
The Background
India’s Project Tiger was launched on 1 April 1973 with nine tiger reserves; today the network spans 58 tiger reserves covering ~75,800 sq km. The NTCA was constituted as a statutory body in 2006 under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006, to oversee Project Tiger. The All India Tiger Estimation 2022 — released in 2023 — pegged India’s tiger count at 3,682, accounting for roughly 75% of the global wild tiger population. Madhya Pradesh, the “Tiger State,” leads with 785 tigers, followed by Karnataka (563) and Uttarakhand (560). Kanha covers ~940 sq km of core area in the Maikal range of Satpura hills.
Legal & Institutional Framework
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 — Parent statute; tigers in Schedule I (highest protection).
- Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 — Inserted Sections 38L-38X creating NTCA and Tiger Reserves as statutory categories.
- NTCA — Statutory body chaired by the Union Environment Minister; oversees Project Tiger.
- Project Tiger — Launched 1 April 1973 under PM Indira Gandhi.
- Forest Conservation Act, 1980 — Restricts diversion of forest land in tiger habitats.
- Art. 48A (DPSP) — State to protect environment and safeguard wildlife.
- Art. 51A(g) — Fundamental duty to protect natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife.
Why This Matters
The loss of an entire litter and the breeding tigress is a serious blow to Kanha’s gene pool. More worryingly, it raises the spectre of disease — including canine distemper virus (CDV), which has decimated tiger populations elsewhere — entering well-managed reserves through buffer-zone livestock contact. The NTCA’s inquiry will set the template for tightening disease surveillance protocols across all 58 reserves.
CLAT 2027 — Why You Must Know This
Wildlife law and tiger conservation are evergreen CLAT GK areas: WPA Schedules, NTCA, Project Tiger year, latest tiger census numbers, “Tiger State” identification. Articles 48A and 51A(g) feature in Legal Reasoning passages on environmental law. Memorise the 1972/1973/2006 trio (Act/Project/NTCA) and the 2022 estimation count (3,682) — these are the most testable static facts.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Tigress / Cubs Lost | T-141 + 3 cubs (4th critical) |
| Cause of Death | Respiratory infection / lung disease |
| Reserve / State | Kanha Tiger Reserve / Madhya Pradesh |
| Project Tiger Launched | 1 April 1973 |
| India’s Tiger Count (2022) | 3,682 (~75% of global) |
| Tiger State | Madhya Pradesh (785 tigers) |
| Tiger Schedule (WPA) | Schedule I |
Mnemonic
KANHA = Kipling’s Jungle Book inspiration · All-India Tiger Estimation 2022: 3,682 · NTCA (2006, statutory) · Habitat 940 sq km core · Art. 48A & 51A(g) duty.
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Source: The Indian Express, 30 April 2026.
