Tiger missing for weeks found dead in R’bore

Jaipur: The carcass of a four-and-a-half-year old male tiger was discovered in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) Tuesday, nearly six weeks after it was first reported missing. Officials suspect the death was caused by a territorial fight between two competing tigers.

The highly-decomposed carcass was identified as that of tiger RBT-2402, a male that had recently begun dispersing to establish its territory within the reserve.

The remains were spotted during routine patrolling atop Hindwad Hill, which is around 500 feet high, in a rugged patch of forest known as Peeli ka Khad.

Forest teams reached the site soon after and brought the carcass down, a process that took over an hour due to the steep and rocky terrain.

The tiger had been missing for about one-and-a-half months, prompting the deployment of three separate search teams to track its movements. The recovery of the carcass has ended weeks of uncertainty over its status.

“Preliminary examinations revealed canine bite marks on the hind portions, indicating a violent encounter,” a senior forest official said. “The presence of at least two tigers was recorded in recent weeks in the area where the carcass was found, strengthening suspicions of a territorial clash – a common cause of mortality among dispersing males competing for space and access to water,” he added.

The Hindwad and Kali Pahadi region, where the animal’s remains were discovered, has a history of poaching incidents, raising concerns in some quarters about the possibility of foul play behind the incident.

Forest officials, however, have ruled out such a possibility at this stage, citing the injury patterns on the animal’s body and the absence of any evidence suggesting human involvement.

“A post-mortem was conducted at a nearby forest outpost, after which the remains were cremated as per protocol,” the official added.

The deceased tiger was reported to be the offspring of tigress T-99.
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