Tigress drowns in Melghat
| Date :10-May-2019 |
Special Correspondent:
A full-grown tigress was found dead due to drowning in water trough near Koktu in deep jungle in Gugamal Forest Division of Melghat Tiger Reserve on Wednesday evening. The patrolling staff noticed the carcass of tigress in the small water body in the river and it is assumed that the beast fell in it from 12 feet. The staff informed higher authorities about the incident. The officers, including Vinod Shivkumar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gugamal, rushed to the spot for completing the formalities.
When contacted, M S Reddy, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Field Director, Melghat Tiger Reserve, ruled out the possibility of poaching by either poisoning or any trap. The cause of death as ascertained from site inspection as well as during post-mortem suggests death by accidental drowing in a natural ditch (approximately 12 ft deep with water).
Body parts are intact. However, claws on all four legs show damage caused by attempts to climb out of the ditch. The tigress must have drowned two days ago, he added. The post-mortem was conducted by veterinarians on Thursday morning and then the carcass was burnt at the spot. Samples of liver, kidney, small intestinal loop, stomach wall with content, stomach outgrowth tissue (suspected tumour), lungs and heart tissue have been collected. Lungs showed frothing due to drowning and heart showed clotting in all four chambers indicating cardiac arrest due to exhaustion. The post-mortem report is awaited, Reddy said.