ADILABAD: The carcass of a 1.5-year-old female tiger was found on the evening of January 6 in the Daregaon forest area of Kagaznagar forest division in the Kumurambheem Asifabad district.Field director S Shantharam and Asifabad district forest officer T Niraj along with other officials visited the site.
Shantharam said preliminary investigations point towards a territorial fight between two tigers that is estimated to have occurred on January 2. The deceased tiger was found by Deputy Range Officer Rama Devi. The animal had injuries on its neck and abdomen, and a fractured right hind leg, with dried blood stains on its skin. He said the veterinary doctors collected samples for analysis at a laboratory in Hyderabad.
It is learnt that pugmarks of two tigers were discovered at the site. Near the tiger’s carcass, a dead cattle, which was possibly killed on December 31, was also found. While investigating, officials found no evidence of hunting using snares, traps, or electrocution. Veterinarians ruled out poisoning, with intact skin, nails, and other body parts.
However, it was noted that the Kagaznagar forest division officials may have neglected their duties. The region serves as a breeding ground for tigers, with migration occurring from Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra to Kagaznagar division through the Pranahita river.