Guwahati: Less than a month after the recovery of two tiger carcasses, another dead tiger was found in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) on Saturday, raising concerns among wildlife officials.
A senior KNPTR official said the carcass of a male tiger, estimated to be 12–13 years old, was recovered from the western side of the Baneshwar Mandir Anti-Poaching Camp area in the Burapahar Range at Ghorakati. Following the recovery, KNPTR Director Sonali Ghosh constituted a committee to conduct the post-mortem examination and ensure disposal of the carcass in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Preliminary findings from the post-mortem suggest that the tiger may have died due to infighting.
The latest incident follows the recovery of a tigress, aged around three to four years, whose carcass was found on January 18 in the Kathpora area of the Bagori Western Range. Initial post-mortem findings in that case had also indicated death due to infighting.
Earlier, on January 14, the carcass of a young male Royal Bengal tiger, estimated to be two to three years old, was detected at Thute Chapori in the Eastern Range at Gamiri under the Biswanath Wildlife Division. The carcass was spotted by staff of the Gopaljarani Anti-Poaching Camp during routine patrolling. A committee was subsequently formed to oversee the post-mortem and disposal process as per NTCA guidelines, with preliminary veterinary examinations suggesting death due to natural causes or infighting.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve is home to a rich diversity of wildlife, including 2,613 greater one-horned rhinoceroses (2022 census), 104 Bengal tigers (2022), 1,228 Asian elephants (2024), 2,565 wild water buffaloes (2022), and 1,129 eastern swamp deer (2022). The reserve spans three forest divisions — Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (Bokakhat), Biswanath Wildlife Division (Biswanath Chariali), and Nagaon Wildlife Division (Nagaon).