Decomposed body of tiger found in Kurai

A decomposed carcass of a tiger was today found in Kurai Range of the Pench Tiger Reserve near here, an official said.Reserve Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) S Sengar while talking to The Pioneer over phone said that during patrolling, the ground staffers smelled odour emanating from a place, and when they went there they found a tiger's decomposed carcass.

Following this, the Reserve's Deputy Director Kiran Bisen, veterinary doctor Akilesh Mishra and others reached the spot.The reason behind the tiger's death is yet to be ascertained and a postmortem will be conducted as per the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), he added.However, Sengar denied that the feline was poached, adding, prima facie, the tiger may have died a natural death.A large part of the carcass was in a bad shape, the officer added. 

However, wildlife and Right To Information (RTI) activist from the State capital Ajay Dubey does not goes with forest officials view and demanded enquiry into the incidence.Dubey expressing concern over the death of the tiger alleged that wildlife health management was in "shambles" in the State. “Madhya Pradesh’s tiger reserves are turning out to be poaching grounds of the striped feline. Poor planning and inadequate management for wildlife has claimed several tigers in the recent past in the tiger reserves of the State,” he added.

The wildlife activist said over the years tiger population in the State had come down. "In February last year a male tiger was killed in Bandhavgarh, followed by the death of a radio-collared big cat," he said.He said this time we would write to Prime Minister to order enquiry into the death of tigers in the tiger reserves of the State.