On 3rd March 2009, a tigress was tranquilised in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and taken by road to Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Although the Government of India had given permission in 2008 for two tigresses to be translocated to Panna, the recent operation was carried out without close consultation with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) or known tiger experts.

The illegal trade in poached skins between India, Nepal and China is the most significant immediate threat to the continued existence of the tiger in the wild. While the importance of the problem has been recognized and plenty of information is already available, the lucrative illegal trade continues.