Why in news?
A tiger in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh, killed an adult female rhinoceros in early March 2026. The unusual incident was widely reported because rhinos are generally too large and powerful for tigers to attack. Wildlife authorities said the rhino might have been stuck in a marsh, making it vulnerable.
Background
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies along the India-Nepal border and comprises the Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. It is home to diverse wildlife, including tigers, rhinos, elephants and swamp deer. As of 2025, Dudhwa harboured about 49 greater one-horned rhinoceroses and more than 135 tigers.
Details of the incident
- Tiger behaviour: According to forest officials, the rhinoceros was stuck in a marshy area near the Geruwa River in Dudhwa. A tiger took advantage of the situation and delivered fatal bites to the rhino’s spine and neck.
- Unusual predation: Tigers rarely attack healthy adult rhinos because the latter are large and well-armoured. However, if a rhino is injured or trapped, a tiger may see an opportunity.
- Ecological interactions: Both species are apex herbivore and carnivore respectively. Such interactions, though rare, highlight the complex food webs in grassland-wetland ecosystems.
Conservation message
Forest officials noted that the incident should not be seen as a sign of imbalance but as an isolated event. The Dudhwa landscape has enough prey and food for both rhinos and tigers. Nevertheless, monitoring of vulnerable rhinos in marshy areas will be increased.
Source: The Indian Express
