The deaths of two tigers in a span of two days inside the famous Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) have raised alarm in the area, with forest department officials scurrying to find the cause of deaths.
A forest official said on Friday that a tiger was found dead in a well located inside the reserve in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, only a day after another big cat – a female tiger cub – was found dead on Wednesday in Kathli beat of the BTR.
“The carcass of an adult tiger was found inside an old well on Thursday evening in Kudri Tola village of Raipur, under the Dhamokhar range of the reserve. On receiving the information, park officials and a team from the forest department reached and inspected the spot,” he said, adding that a search was conducted in the surrounding area with the help of a dog squad.
According to eyewitnesses, a strong stench emanating from the old well, which is located about 1.5 kilometres from the village, indicated that the feline had died at least five to six days prior to the carcass being found.
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Field Director Anupam Sahay said the tiger’s carcass was retrieved on Friday morning.
“The location where the tiger’s carcass was found is approximately two km away from the forest outpost,” said Ranger Dhruv Singh, a Dhamokhar range official.
While the exact cause of the death and age of the big cat are being ascertained by veterinarians, the female cub died presumably after a fight with a wild animal.
However, the deaths of the tigers are not only shrouded in mystery, they are being seen as a dent to India’s ambitious tiger conservation project.
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