Second tiger carcass found in Kaziranga within week, infighting suspected

Guwahati, Jan 19: Less than a week after the recovery of a tiger carcass, another dead tiger has been found in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), raising fresh concern among forest authorities.

Officials said the carcass of a four-year-old tigress was recovered on Sunday afternoon from the Kathpora area of the Bagori Western Range of the park.

Following the discovery, KNPTR Director Sonali Ghosh constituted a committee to conduct a post-mortem examination and oversee disposal of the carcass in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Preliminary findings of the post-mortem suggested that the tigress died due to infighting. Forest officials said multiple injuries were detected during the examination.

“A carcass of a female tiger has been found in the Bagori range of the national park. The post-mortem revealed several injuries caused by infighting, particularly around the spine and ribs. Tiger density in this range is high. As per protocol, samples have been collected for further examination,” a forest official told the press.

The latest incident follows the recovery of another tiger carcass earlier this month.

On January 14, the body of a young male Royal Bengal tiger, aged around two to three years, was found at Thute Chapori in the Eastern Range, Gamiri, under the Biswanath Wildlife Division of the KNPTR.

That carcass was first detected by personnel of the Gopaljarani Anti-Poaching Camp during routine patrolling.

Subsequently, a committee was constituted to supervise the post-mortem examination and disposal of the carcass as per NTCA guidelines.

Preliminary veterinary findings had then indicated that the death may have occurred due to natural causes or infighting.

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, India’s seventh UNESCO World Heritage Site, is renowned for its rich biodiversity and is home to the famed ‘Big Five’ - the one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, elephant, wild water buffalo and swamp deer.

Spread across the districts of Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur and Biswanath, the park currently shelters an estimated 104 Bengal tigers, according to the 2022 tiger census.

Forest officials said investigations are continuing to rule out any other causes and to monitor tiger movement and behaviour in high-density ranges.

IANS