Daily News Analysis ‘Kanha Tiger Reserve and Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) ’ : 20 May

Why in News:

  • Tiger fatalities inside Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) have prompted a high alert due to a suspected outbreak of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) spread by domestic dogs.

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) Core Facts:

  • Pathogen Type: Highly contagious, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family.
  • Impact: Attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems, causing severe lung infections and neurological breakdowns.
  • Transmission: Spreads via aerosol droplets, direct contact with infected fluids, or shared food/water contaminated by feral or domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris).
  • Host Range: Infects domestic dogs and wild carnivores, including large felines (tigers, lions, leopards), canids (wolves, foxes), and mustelids.
  • Precedent: Caused a major wildlife crisis in 2018 at Gir National Park, Gujarat, killing over two dozen Asiatic Lions.

Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) Strategic Highlights:

  • Location: Situated in the Maikal range of the Satpuras across Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh; it is the largest National Park in Central India.
  • Status: Declared a National Park in 1955 and integrated under Project Tiger as a Tiger Reserve in 1973-74.
  • Mascot: First tiger reserve in India to officially register an animal mascot—”Bhoorsingh the Barasingha”.
  • Flagship Fauna: Renowned for reviving the Hard-ground Barasingha (Swamp Deer / Rucervus duvaucelii branderi) from near extinction.
  • Vegetation: Dominated by lowlands of Sal (Shorea robusta) forests and meadows, and highlands of tropical moist/dry deciduous trees mixed with bamboo.
  • Corridors: Connects physically via wildlife corridors to Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) and Achanakmar Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh).
  • Tribes: Inhabited by the Gond and Baiga tribes, the latter being a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
  • Literature: The Kanha-Banjar valley landscapes directly inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.

Important Links