Thirty-nine tigers and 16 lions were killed across the country -- most of them by poachers -- since 2006, Government told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. As many as 29 tigers and nine lions were killed by poachers, Minister of State for Environment and Forests S Regupathy said. He said the State and Union Territory Governments have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around wildlife-rich areas. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been set up to check illegal trade in wildlife and its products, Regupathy said. He said 272 elephants were killed between 2005-06 and 2008-09. While 200 elephants died in accidents, electrocution and due to other causes, 72 were killed by poachers, he said. In reply to a separate question, Regupathy said degraded forest lands having canopy density less than 10 per cent, categorised as scrub, constitute an area of 38,475 sq km. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is implementing the National Afforestation Programme scheme for regeneration and eco-development of degraded forests and adjoining areas, he said. The scheme is being implemented through a two-tier decentralised set-up of Forest Development Agency at Forest Division level and Joint Forest Management Committees at village level, Regupathy said.