Tiger, cub found dead in MP’s Panna and Kanha reserves

In Panna Tiger Reserve and Kanha Tiger Reserve, a tiger and a cub were found dead. While the cub’s death appears natural, authorities are investigating the decomposed tiger carcass with forensic and STF assistance

Panna/Mandla: A tiger and a male cub have been found dead at two tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh, forest officials said on Wednesday.

A forest department team found the carcass of a big cat in the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Tuesday.

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“During our morning patrol, our staff found the decomposed carcass of a tiger, that died 20 to 25 days back, in compartment number 278, within the Vanmarg Sanctuary. A doctor and our team have inspected the scene,” PTR field director Brijesh Srivastava said.

The decomposition of the carcass makes it difficult to initially determine the cause of death, he said.

A special team from the Special Task Force (STF), which specialises in investigating wildlife crimes, has also been called for a thorough probe into the tiger’s death. Evidence is being collected with the help of a dog squad and forensic experts, the official said.

“Only after the reports from the STF team and experts will it be clear whether the tiger’s death was natural or involved criminal activity. Efforts are also being made to confirm the tiger’s identity (ID number),” he said.

Meanwhile, in the Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) in Mandla district, a male tiger cub was found dead in the Sarhi forest range on Tuesday.

All organs of the dead cub were found intact and the autopsy indicated a natural death, KTR field director Ravindra Mani Tripathi said.

The spot was secured and a search was conducted in the area. A tigress was spotted nearby with her other cubs, as per forest officials.

Madhya Pradesh is often referred to as India’s ‘Tiger State’ due to the highest population of big cats in the country.

The state is home to several tiger reserves, including Panna, Kanha, Pench, Satpura and Bandhavgarh.