A one-and-half-year-old tiger cub which was caught in a snare in Ponnampet forest of Kodagu district in Karnataka died at Koorgalli Wild Animals Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru on Friday. This is the fourth tiger death reported in the State in January 2017.
The tiger was caught in a trap on January 18 following which it was shifted to Mysuru. According to Mysuru Zoo Executive Director Kamala Karikalan the animal had a swelling in its forelimb when it was brought to the Centre and there was a variation in its blood count.” It refused to take any food on the day of arrival but had plenty of water,” she added.
The postmortem report revealed that the dead tiger had abnormalities in its body like lung fluke which leads to difficulty in breathing and cyst formation in intestine. Karikalan said septicaemia infection appears to be the major cause for death and the abnormalities also may have contributed to it. The samples will be sent for analysis and the results will give accurate reasons for the death, she added.
The first tiger death in the State was reported on January 4, when the carcass of an aged tigress was found in DB Kuppe range of Nagarahole.
On January 13, a tiger succumbed to its injuries while being shifted for treatment to Bannerghatta Biological Park from Bandipur.
On January 16, a tigress died due to an alleged overdose of tranquilliser when it was darted near the Antarsanthe range of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. As per the last Tiger census Karnataka has over 400 tigers, highest in the country. The unnatural death of the big cats in the state is a cause of worry over its conservation efforts.