Yet another tiger’s body has been found in Karnataka, making it the fourth death in just 20 days.
A tiger cub, which was injured after being caught in a snare at the Ponnampet forest in Kodagu district, succumbed on Friday, at the Koorgalli Wild Animals Rescue and Centre in Mysuru, a TNIE report states.
The one-and-a-half-year-old cub, was caught in a snare on January 18 and was later shifted to the Koorgalli centre, the report adds.
Mysuru Zoo Executive Director, Kamala Karikalan, told TNIE that the cub had a swelling in its forelimb when it was brought to the centre and there was a variation in its blood count. The cub refused any intake of food on the day of arrival but had consumed plenty of water.
The cub was served some chicken on Thursday morning, which it did not even touch. Later in the evening, the cub was served some beef, which it ate. However, its health worsened on Friday, which led to its death, the report said.
Karikalan said that a part of the tiger’s forelimb was injured as it was ensnared and had developed an infection, which is suspected to have turned septic.
The post-mortem report revealed that the tiger had abnormalities in its body like a lung fluke, which leads to difficulty in breathing and formation of a cyst in the intestine.
Karikalan said that septicaemia infection appears to be the cause of death and the abnormalities also may have contributed to the cub’s condition. The samples will be sent for analysis and the results will give accurate reasons for the death, the report said.
The first tiger death in the state was reported on January 4, when the carcass of an aged tigress was found in DB Kuppe range of Nagarahole.
On January 13, a tiger succumbed to injuries while being shifted for treatment to Bannerghatta Biological Park from the Bandipur National Reserve.
Another tigress died on January 16, due to an alleged overdose of tranquilliser, when it was darted near the Antarsanthe range of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.