Tiger found dead in MP’s Bandhavgarh reserve; territorial fight suspected 

A tiger was found dead in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, with officials suspecting it died in a territorial fight with another big cat. The eight-year-old tiger, nicknamed Pujari, showed injury marks, and an investigation is underway following NTCA guidelines

Umaria: A tiger has been found dead in the Bandhavgarh Reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district, with the authorities suspecting it was killed in a territorial fight, officials said on Tuesday.

Security personnel at Dhamdhama Camp in the Khitauli range of the reservere ported hearing sounds of tigers fighting around 6.30 am on Monday, field director Dr Anupam Sahay said.

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A patrol team later searched the area and found the carcass.

A preliminary examination indicated the tiger died in a clash between big cats. The carcass bore attack marks, but all organs were intact, the official said.

The tiger, nicknamed Pujari, was around eight years old and reportedly fearful of another big cat known as B1, often fleeing upon sighting it, he said.

The area has been cordoned off, and elephant patrols, a dog squad, and a metal detector team have been deployed for further investigation. All action is being taken in line with guidelines and SOPs issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), officials said.

Madhya Pradesh has several tiger reserves, including Bandhavgarh, Panna, Kanha and Satpura. As per the 2022 census, MP had 785 tigers, the highest in the country.