Bhopal, Apr 25 (PTI) A total of 17 tigers have died in Madhya Pradesh in the last 107 days, including three due to poaching, an official said on Monday. On Sunday, a tigress cub was found dead in the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh Reserve in what may have been the handiwork of an adult tiger, he added. "Between January 8 and April 24, a total of 17 tigers have died in the state. This includes three deaths due to poaching, with two of them being electrocuted. Between January and December last year, the state had lost 42 tigers, the biggest chunk of the 127 deaths nationwide reported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority," he said. Ajay Dubey, founder of Prayatna, an environmental action group, told PTI the deaths were caused due to shrinking prey base, like deer, and said this was an alarming situation. "I also agree territorial fights are a big reason. Tigers kill as they feel a fellow big cat that has entered its territory will reduce the prey base. This fight for survival is costing MP dear. The forest department must focus on developing grasslands so that the herbivore prey base can be increased," Dubey said. Refuting these claims, a forest official said there was no shrinking of prey base and nor was there a shortage of grasslands. Only three deaths took place due to poaching, after which vigil was increased, while the rest were due to natural reasons, the official added. As per the All-India Tiger Estimation Report 2018, Madhya Pradesh is home to 526 tigers, the highest for any state of the country. MP has six tiger reserves, namely Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura, Panna and Sanjay. PTI LAL BNM BNM