2 tiger carcasses recovered in Karnataka village; probe ordered

A team from the Biligiri Rangaswamy Tiger Reserve (BRT) have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, officials said

Two tiger carcasses were discovered near the Karikallu quarry in Kottalavadi village of Chamrajnagara taluk on Friday, raising concerns among wildlife officials and conservationists, officials familiar with the matter said, adding a team from the Biligiri Rangaswamy Tiger Reserve (BRT) have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The carcases were found near the Karikallu quarry in Kottalavadi village of Chamrajnagara taluk on Friday. (HT Photo)

“The death of two tigers might have occurred 12-14 days back ” BRT deputy conservator of forests Deep J Contractor told HT. “We learned about the incident on Thursday night, visited the spot, and conducted a thorough inspection. However, prima facie, we could not find any foul play in the deaths of the two tigers,” he said.

Dr Manjunath from Bannerghatta Biological Park conducted the autopsy of the animals on Friday afternoon. “According to the doctors, one tiger is estimated to be aged between four to five years, and the other is approximately one to two years old,” she said.

Due to decomposition, the gender of the tigers could not be determined. A wildlife offence report has been registered, and an ongoing investigation is underway.

DCF contractor said, "We are waiting for the autopsy report which will reach in another 3 days. We have conducted tests through metal detector to find any bullets in the body and burnt it as per wildlife guidelines. The ash will also be checked once again for bullets or metal objects.”

The news of the two tiger deaths has left animal lovers in the state in shock, particularly as Karnataka is striving to become the leading state in the country in terms of tiger population. With five tiger reserves in the state and plans underway to designate Male Mahadeshwara forest as a tiger reserve in Chamarajanagara district, the recent incident is a setback to conservation efforts. However, villagers are reportedly opposing the establishment of the Male Mahadeshwara tiger reserve.

Several villages adjacent to Nagarhole, BTR, and Bandipur tiger reserves in Mysuru and Chamarajanagara districts have experienced increased instances of tiger encounters. The rising population of big cats in these areas has led to a series of human-wildlife conflicts, resulting in casualties. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority census, Madhya Pradesh holds the highest number of tigers in the country, with Karnataka ranking second as per the 2022 tiger census.