Bigcats News

[Jeffrey]

A female tiger cub of resident Female T-15, age about 12 months,  was found dead today morning in compartment no. 509 Khursapar beat of Devlapar range,  Pench Tiger Reserve. During the routine patrolling, forest guard Ms Komal Davkare found a snapped hind leg of the cub near a stream with disturbed ground and blood stains. On further search, rest of the body parts were found within a distance of about 100 metres.  The Committee was constituted  as per the SOP of NTCA, with CCF and FD Pench Dr  Ravikiran Govekar,  CWLW repreaentative  Shri Aditya Joshi  of WCT,  Shri Anil Dashahre, Biologist from  NTCA , Regional office, Nagpur,  Veterinary officers Dr. B. M Kadu, Dr Chetan Patond, LDO Karwai  Dr. D M Wankhede and  LDO Veterinary Dispensary Kandri Dr. Vinod Samarth.  The local investigation of the site and the  postmortem was carried out as per the SOP and a spot memo was drawn. The death of the cub was due to the attack and killing by the other tiger in internecine fight with clear marks of canines on the neck region, probably by a dominant  male. The carcass was found to be dragged, split into 3 pieces and partially chewed/ eaten.  The samples were collected  for the  DNA studies.

The carcass was disposed of as per the SOP of NTCA in presence of the committee members and DD Pench, Amlendu Pathak and RFO Praveen Sathawane. 

Devlapar range has been known for high density of  tigers, probably because it's proximity with Pench MP, high flux, and local habitat interventions. As per the latest estimation,  there are 38 unique adult tigers in the Pench TR. Such deaths do take place in natural ecological set up,  either as a territorial fights or the infanticide.

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