NILGIRIS: Two tigresses were found dead in close proximity near the Avalanche Dam surplus water channel in Kundha taluk of Nilgiris district on Saturday evening. While one of the carcasses was found floating on a river leading to the Emerald Dam, the second one was found in a slush 10 metres away, forest department sources said.
Initial investigation revealed that the adult tigresses aged between four and five years could have died two days ago. No external injuries were found indicating that the animals had not died due to territorial fight. Forest workers are carrying out searches in nearby areas to ascertain if the tigers died due to poisoning. Officials said they are not melanistic tigers.
Sources said the exact reason for the death can be established only after the completion of postmortem scheduled to be carried out on Sunday morning. Three veterinarians, including veterinary assistant surgeon of Theppakkadu
K Rajesh Kumar, will perform the autopsy in the presence of NGO members. A senior official said 20 forest staffers from Udhagai south and Kundha forest ranges are carrying out combing operations near the place where the carcasses were found to spot possible clues for the reason for the deaths.
“A few other staff will be guarding the carcasses till 10am Sunday when the postmortem is expected to be carried out. The staff will not even touch the carcasses as per standard operating procedure till the autopsy is carried out. The veterinarians will check the position of the carcasses before carrying out the postmortem,” the official said.
At least six tigers, three each in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Nilgiris forest division, have died due to various reasons in the Nilgiris district in the last one month, sources said.