Nagpur : The first case of tiger’s death occurred in the New Year when a female one-year-old tiger cub of resident female T-15 was found dead in Khursrapar beat of Deolapar Forest Range, Pench Tiger Reserve, on Thursday morning. This is the third case of tiger death within five days in Pench. T-16 tiger and T-4 tigress were found dead due to poisoning, within a distance of 100 metres in Chichgaon in Paoni Forest Range, Pench Tiger Reserve, on December 31 and 31 respectively.
A forest guard, Komal Devkare, who was on routine patrolling in the area in the morning, was shocked to find a snapped hind leg of the cub near a stream with disturbed ground and blood stains. On further search, she also noticed rest of the body parts within a distance of 100 metres.
Ravikiran Govekar, Chief Conservator of Forest and Field Director, Pench Tiger Reserve, who rushed to the spot, said that the death of tigress cub was due to attack and killing by the other tiger in internecine fight with clear marks of canines on the neck region, probably by a dominant male. The carcass was found to be dragged, split into three places and partially chewed/eaten. The samples were collected for DNA test, he added.
The local investigation of the site and post-mortem was carried out as the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a spot memo was drawn. A committee was formed that consisted of Govekar, Aditya Joshi, Anil Dashahre, Dr B M Kadu, Dr Chetan Patond, Dr D M Wankhede and Dr Vinod Samarth. The carcass was disposed of in presence of the committee members, Amlendu Pathak, Deputy Director, Pench, Praveen Sathawane, Range Forest Officers and others.
Deolapar range is known for high density of tigers, probably because of its proximity to Pench Madhya Pradesh, high flux and local habitat interventions. As per the latest estimation, there are 38 tigers in Pench Tiger Reserve and such deaths take place in natural ecological set up.
Read Also : Tiger and tigress found poisoned to death near Nagpur Wildlife Sanctuary
