Tigress found dead in Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

In a tragic incident, a nineyear-old tigress was found dead in Wesley Macchan Moole range of Hosahalli branch of Gundre range in Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Thursday.

According to information reaching here, the picture of the dead tiger matched that of ‘Tiger Bandipur 15_U1783’ in the Tiger Census data which was captured in camera on March 3 in Gundre range. The same tiger was camera trapped in the same range during the 2019-20 tiger census too.

After examination of the carcass, veterinarians are of the opinion that the big cat did not succumb to poisoning or strangulation. No external injury marks were found on the body. The teeth and the nails of the dead tiger are also intact indicating that it might have been involved in a territorial fight with another tiger. Two teeth and the jaw were worn out and had turned yellowish indicating that it was suffering from a disease.

Dr Wasim Mirza conducted the autopsy and prima facie, according to the postmortem report, the tigress might have died of old age and some disease. The carcass was burnt in the presence of forest department officials and local villagers. The exact cause of death will be known later, according to Bandipur Project Tiger Director Ramesh Kumar.