MANDLA, Madhya Pradesh: A tigress and her four cubs have died in Kanha Tiger Reserve, with preliminary findings, according to media reports, indicating infection from the canine distemper virus (CDV), officials said.
Laboratory tests conducted at a wildlife forensic facility in Jabalpur detected traces of the virus, helping investigators determine the cause behind the deaths, which occurred over a span of nine days, according to media reports.
The deaths were linked to tigress T-141 in the Sarhi range. Three cubs died between April 21 and April 25. The tigress and her last surviving cub, both of whom were found in a critical condition, were rescued and kept in quarantine at the Mukki facility but died on April 29, officials said, as per media reports.
Canine distemper virus is a highly contagious disease that primarily affects carnivores, targeting the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Post-mortem findings had earlier pointed to empty stomachs and lung infection in the cubs, symptoms consistent with CDV, according to media reports.
The virus is commonly transmitted from domestic or feral dogs to wild animals, raising concerns among forest authorities and wildlife experts over the risk of further spread in the reserve. Additional tests are underway for final confirmation, while measures are being considered to contain the infection, officials added.
