KT-1 tiger from Tadoba buffer dies at Gorewada
| Date :23-Jun-2020 |
KT-1 tiger at Gorewada.
Special Correspondent :
The menacing KT-1 tiger from buffer area of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) that created terror in Kolara, Bamanwada, and Satara villages by killing five persons, died at Gorewada Rescue Centre here on Monday morning. Prima facie, the cause of death appears to be septicaemia. The tiger was noticed in distress in the morning by forest guards. They informed higher authorities about it and the veterinarians reached the animal holding facility only to find KT-1 with feeble response to touch and twitch. Doctors declared the animal dead at 7 am.
Then, it was brought to Gorewada Rescue Centre Hospital to examine the cause. Dr Madhuri Hedau, Assistant Professor, Nagpur Veterinary College, along with Dr Mayur Pawshe, and Dr Kolangath Sujit from Wildlife Research & Training Centre (WRTC), conducted the post-mortem. The team of experts also included Hemant Kamdi, Assistant Inspector General of Forest, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Nagpur, and Kundan Hate, Honorary Wildlife Warden. Though the cause appears to be septicaemia, final post-mortem examination after laboratory confirmation is awaited.
Dr Shirish Upadhye, Director, WRTC; Nandkishor Kale, Divisional Manager, Gorewada project; Dr Shalini A S, and H V Madbhushi, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Gorewada, were present during the procedure. The tiger was brought from Chimur to Gorewada on June 11. After shifting to Enclosure-5 of Tiger-2 facility at the centre, the tiger was quarantined as per directives by NTCA. The beast showed poor appetite since arrival and failed acclimatise to captive life.
The team of experts from WRTC, Gorewada, was treating the big cat and watching it from close quarters. KT-1 was, however, alert and active and showed no signs of any core illness. The problem tiger had killed five persons from Kolara, Bamanwada, and Satara villages and created a sense of insecurity among the villagers from February. Offspring of Sharmilee tigress, it was moving with its brother and sister in these areas. Nitin Kakodkar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Maharashtra, gave permission to capture the beast, taking into consideration the situation. After post-mortem, remains of the tiger were disposed of by cremation.