Tigress carcass recovered: Database being scoured to ascertain whether big cat belonged to KWS or Nepal

The DFO said a panel of five members including veterinary experts have conducted a post-mortem examination of the tigress as per the guidelines of NTCA on Monday

The forest department is scrutinising the tiger database to find out whether the tigress whose carcass was recovered on Sunday, belongs to Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) or to Nepal, said divisional forest officer (DFO) B Shiv Shankar on Monday.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

The DFO said a panel of five members including veterinary experts have conducted a post-mortem examination of the tigress as per the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on Monday.

Field director (FD) Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) Lalit Verma who was also present, said no injury mark was found on the carcass of the tigress. Besides, all the canines and nails were intact. Moreover, no fracture was found during the post-mortem examination.

The FD said it might be possible that the tigress had been suffering from a fatal disease. He said vital samples of the carcass were being sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) Bareilly to ascertain the actual cause of the death.

DFO KWS Shiv Shankar said the tigress was about 3 to 4 years old whose body was found floating in a stream of Chaudhri Charan Singh Barrage on Sunday evening. On being informed, forest employees reached the site and fished out the body from the barrage on Sunday evening.

There is a corridor which is known as ‘Khata Corridor’ which connects Verdiya National Park of Nepal and Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR). Former divisional officer and wildlife expert Gyan Prakash Singh said rhinos, elephants and tigers used this corridor to move between the two countries.

SHARIQ RAIS SIDDIQUI