A three-member panel of veterinary doctors has failed to determine if the bones, recovered by forest officials from a well in Jaisinghpura village on Friday, are of a tiger or panther.
The bones will now be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, for verification.
On the trail of missing tigress ST5, forest officials had nabbed suspected poachers from Alwar district. After receiving a tip-off last week, forest officials arrested two siblings, Saber and Baldev Singh, from Jaisinghpura on the suspicion of being poachers. Later, the duo admitted to killing a wild boar and is in jail.
Deputy conservator of forest of Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) Hemant Singh said that a few days ago, forest officials got information that owners of a farm were dumping mud and stones into a well at night. Forest officials reached the village and started digging the well. Apart from the remains of many wild animals they also discovered bones of a big cat.
Singh said that that the owners of the farm, who are four brothers, are on the run for the past seven days. Among the four, two are retired army men, and two are farmers. One of the retired army men has also been part of a wildlife protection force.
{{/usCountry}}Singh said that that the owners of the farm, who are four brothers, are on the run for the past seven days. Among the four, two are retired army men, and two are farmers. One of the retired army men has also been part of a wildlife protection force.
{{/usCountry}}Singh added that the bones appear to be that of a panther or tiger. “We can only say for sure after getting the forensic test results. Even after sustained efforts, we don’t know what happened to ST5.”
ST5 has been missing since February. After ST5 went missing, suspected poachers killed tiger ST11 in Indhok forest area on the night of March 19. Forest officials are still searching for ST5.