NAGPUR: Four tiger cubs were found dead in Shivni forest range, a buffer zone in Chandrapur’s Tadoba tiger reserve, on Saturday morning. This comes three days after the carcass of a tigress, who is suspected to be their mother, was found in the same area, forest officials said.
“The carcasses of the cubs, who were about 3-4 months old, were found in forest compartment number 265 under Shivni forest range. The suspected mother [T-75] of the cubs was found dead in the same area on Wednesday,” Jitendra Ramgaonkar, field director of Tadoba-Andhari tiger project, said.
Bite marks on the cubs – two females and two males – indicated that they were killed by a tiger.
Ramgaonkar said a team led by the Shivni range forest officer, along with a rapid response team, who had been monitoring the cubs since their birth, on Friday spotted a male tiger in the vicinity. “They found the four carcasses this morning.”
The forest and rapid action teams have noted the presence of two tigers and a tigress in the area, he said.
The carcasses were brought to transit treatment centre (TTC) in Chandrapur for post-mortem, field director said, adding the tissue samples of the cubs and the tigress would be analysed using DNA identification methods.
Ramgaonkar and other senior officials of the wildlife wing are currently camping in the jungle to investigate the incident. Further, camera traps were placed to intensify the monitoring of the area. Field personnel were also deployed.
Environmentalist and former honorary wildlife warden Bandu Dhotre, who stays in Chandrapur, said, “These cubs were spotted for the first time on December 1. The forest department is still finding out who their mother is, with the help of DNA samples. These cubs were not even recorded by the forest department earlier.’’
Tadoba is one of the oldest national parks in the country. It spreads over 1,727 square km and contains some of the best forest tracks endowed with rich biodiversity. Along with over 120 tigers, it is the home to rare Indian animals, including leopards, wild dogs, hyenas, wild boar, sloth bears, and bison.
(With inputs from Yogesh Naik)