Clash Of Titans: Tiger Injured In Turf War

Bhopal: Are tigers in MP feeling increasingly threatened by their own tribe? This unsettling question, amid a deepening turf war, was raised afresh on Monday after some tourists, on a safari, were close bystanders to a fierce clash between two adult male tigers at the Satpura reserve. The clash comes on the heels of the state losing two tigers in incidents linked to territorial clashes within a 24-hour spell, taking the big cat toll this year to about 16.Weighing in on the latest turf fight, forest officials said the rising number of tigers involved or falling prey to such clashes is a pointer to the larger concern that the Satpura reserve may be close to reaching its carrying capacity. The latest clash, according to the visitors who watched it unfold, took place in a tourism zone near a waterhole in the Madhai range. Forest officials said one of the tigers, identified as Shankara, sustained an injury to his right leg and was being monitored. Multiple teams fanned out in search of the second tiger involved in the clash, officials said, adding that the fight likely erupted over a territorial dispute. The two males were first seen moving close to each other before the encounter turned aggressive and took a violent turn. The tourists on safari witnessed the big cats growling and going at each other from a safe distance, while capturing it all in their cameras.One of the visitors, Shivam from Mumbai, reportedly recorded the entire incident which later helped the forest staff track down one of the injured tigers.Forest teams reached the spot after being alerted and located the injured tiger, identified as Shankara. Officials said more such encounters are likely as tiger density increases in the cramped reserve and competition for space intensifies.