Objections have been raised by wildlife lovers after the body of a tigress discovered in Almora forest division bordering the Corbett tiger reserve on Sunday evening was tied with a rope and dragged for a short distance by forest department staff who then kept the body in a toilet. Though the officials concerned could not be contacted for their view on National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines regarding handling the body of the national animal, local wildlife activists are unhappy with the actions of the department staff.
According to sources, the body of a tigress was found in the Mohaan range of Almora forest division bordering Corbett tiger reserve in Ramnagar on Sunday evening. The department staff brought the carcass to the Mohaan forest rest house for post mortem examination which could not be conducted post sunset on Sunday.
later, the staff tied a rope to the body of the tigress and dragged it to a staff toilet where it was kept. To remove the body of the tigress from the toilet it was again dragged out by the department staff. Observers point out that as per the NTCA guidelines, the body should have been carried in a stretcher and not kept in a toilet.
The forest ranger Mukesh Barthwal said that the age of the tigress is estimated to be about six years. The exact cause of death will be known after the post mortem report is received.