GUWAHATI:
A carcass of a tigress was found by forest officials at Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) on the evening of February 28. According to the officials, the tigress is believed to be poisoned by poachers.
“A female Royal Bengal Tiger was found dead at Sildubi No 1 under 2nd addition to Kaziranga National Park at around 2.45 pm on Monday. Based on the tiger repository database of camera traps, the tiger was identified as Kazi_205_F. The age of the tiger was around 4 and half years. The cause of death was suspected poisoning,” Ramesh Kumar Gogoi, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division said.
He further added that the preliminary report has been submitted to the SDJM Bokakhat and a case (no KR/06 2022) has been registered and investigation is on. “The tigress was a potential breeder. We have completed post mortem of the animal and other necessary formalities. A case of poaching by poisoning has also been registered against unknown persons and investigations are underway,” he added.
“Poisoning of a tigress near Mihimukh, the prime tourist zone in KNP is disturbing news for all concerned,” Gogoi further said, adding that the carcass was found near a carcass of a cow indicating that the feline could have died after consuming the meat of the cow, which could have been poisoned.
It is worth mentioning that though the place of occurrence (POR) is an additional area of KNP, the area is yet to be handed over to the KNP authority.
In June last year, a 10-year-old male tiger was killed in an “unwarranted firing” by forest personnel on the fringes of KNPTR. The forest personnel responsible for the death was later suspended.