A tigress was found dead in the BRT Tiger Reserve on Tuesday. Forest Department officials said a team was constituted as per the SOP prescribed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, to ascertain the cause of death.
Veterinarians of the Forest Department conducted the post-mortem in presence of senior officials and the indications are that the tigress aged around 4 to 5 years, had suffered serious injuries in a fight with another tiger. The external injuries testify to the conflict and the authorities have ruled out poaching as the skin, claws and other parts of the tigress were intact. The carcass was incinerated after the completion of the formalities, said the authorities.
Elephant dies
A juvenile elephant aged about 4 was found in an emaciated condition in a trench in the Kundukere range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve on August 24. It was rescued and treated by the Forest Department and was subsequently released back into the wild though its movements were monitored by the staff.
A Forest Department release said the elephant once again found its way into the trench and struggled to come out. It was rescued for the second time on August 27 and treated besides being given fodder and fruit. However, the elephant was not in a position to eat and began to sink. Despite efforts to save it, the elephant calf died on August 28, the release added.
