MYSURU: The dramatic rescue of over 20 tigers and cubs near Nagarahole National Park within 45 days has ended in a tragedy as four of the cubs have died since they were pulled out of the wild and placed at the Chamundi Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru.
The deaths raised serious questions about violations of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in handling tiger-human conflict cases.
The cubs had been rescued from a maize field near Nagarahole on November 30, two full days after their mother was tranquilised and captured by the forest department. All the four cubs were sent to the rescue, conservation and rehabilitation centre in Koorgalli, where their mother was also housed. But the reunification was hesitant and delayed, and all the cubs died between December 1 and 9, wildlife experts said.
The preliminary report suggested that one died due to cardiopulmonary failure, the second because of acute severe gastritis, another because of haemorrhagic gastroenteritis and encephalitis and the last due to feline panleukopenia.
Cubs died due to violation of SOPs
Experts pointed out that these deaths were because of violations of NTCA SOPs.
A wildlife expert pointed out that cubs below six months cannot endure prolonged separation. Missing even one feeding cycle affects their immunity. Missing many becomes almost irreversible. “Tiger cubs typically start eating meat when they are 6 to 10 weeks while continuing to be nursed by their mother.
By 2-3 months, they consume more solid food alongside milk, transitioning fully by 5-6 months when weaning occurs,” he revealed. A former wildlife warden said, “This is a clear case of preventable death. NTCA guidelines warn against separating mothers and cubs during capture operations. Yet such violations are becoming routine in the region. Over 20+ tigers, majority of them cubs, were rescued in just 45 days.”