By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The carcass of a sub-adult tiger was recovered from the Mihimukh area of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) on Sunday, raising fresh concerns over big cat mortality in one of India’s most celebrated wildlife sanctuaries.
According to a senior KNPTR official, the four-day-old carcass was discovered on Saturday evening during routine surveillance and monitoring operations by forest personnel in the Mihimukh area under the Kaziranga Range at Kohora.
Following the recovery, park authorities examined the carcass and initiated necessary procedures in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
A committee was constituted by KNPTR Director Sonali Ghosh to oversee the post-mortem examination and disposal of the carcass.
The post-mortem was conducted on Sunday. However, officials said the advanced state of decomposition made it difficult to determine the exact cause of death.
“The cause of death could not be ascertained during the post-mortem examination due to the advanced stage of decomposition,” the official said.
The latest recovery marks the fifth tiger death reported from Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve since January this year, highlighting a troubling pattern of big cat mortality within the reserve.
On January 14, the carcass of a young male Royal Bengal tiger aged around two to three years was detected at Thute Chapori in the Eastern Range at Gamiri under the Biswanath Wildlife Division of KNPTR. Preliminary veterinary findings suggested that the tiger may have died due to natural causes or infighting.
Four days later, on January 18, the carcass of a tigress aged approximately three to four years was recovered from the Kathpora area of the Bagori Western Range. Post-mortem findings in that case indicated infighting as the probable cause of death.
On February 7, a male tiger aged around 12 to 13 years was found dead on the western side of the Mandir Baneshwar Anti-Poaching Camp area in the Burapahar Range at Ghorakati. Preliminary post-mortem findings again pointed to infighting as the likely cause.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, designated as India’s seventh UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its “Big Five” wildlife species — the greater one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo and eastern swamp deer.
According to the latest available estimates, the park is home to 2,613 greater one-horned rhinoceroses, 104 Bengal tigers, 1,228 Asian elephants, 2,565 wild water buffaloes and 1,129 eastern swamp deer.
The recurring tiger deaths are expected to draw increased scrutiny from wildlife conservationists and authorities as investigations into the latest case continue.