NILGIRIS: Four tiger cubs, all 45 days old, have died of suspected starvation over the last three days in the Nilgiris forest division. The cubs died after their mother abandoned them in a forest area, officials said. At least 10 tigers, including an eight-year-old male which died of suspected poisoning at Emerald village a week ago, have died due to various reasons in the district in the past 34 days.
On Tuesday morning, after two carcasses of the cubs were recovered, forest department officials rescued a cub alive at Chinna Coonoor area located on the boundary of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Nilgiris forest division and started providing treatment to save its life. But the animal died without responding to treatment on Tuesday evening. The first tiger cub carcass was found on September 17 (Sunday).
“Based on farmers’ statements, we were waiting for the mother tiger to return to her cubs from September 14 as we suspected that she may have gone inside forest in search of prey. We had deployed a team of forest staff along with tiger trackers to track the mother. Camera traps were also set up to monitor the tiger and the cubs.
Our team had also spotted the carcass of a sambar deer that may have been killed by the tiger. But the mother did not return,” an official said. Staffers from Nilgiris and Gudalur forest divisions and MTR were deployed to trace the mother tiger named ‘MDT234’ but it could not be found. Of the 10 tigers found dead in a month, six were cubs and three were male tigers. One female tiger had died at Naduvattam range due to infighting.
Stomach of all four cubs empty, says Official
According to N Venkatesh, field director of MTR and conservator of forests of Nilgiris district, there could be multiple reasons for a mother tiger to abandon her cubs. “The mother could have abandoned the cubs because of its weak body or possible diseases in cubs. But the exact reason can be ascertained only after we get the forensic analysis results.
The stomach of all the four cubs was empty. Tiger cubs normally feed on mother’s milk for two years,” he said. N Sadiq Ali, founder of wildlife and nature conservation trust (WNCT), said “The state government should appoint more field staff to strengthen patrolling in areas frequented by tigers and elephants. Drones and other facilities must be provided to track animals and to protect the staffers from animal attacks.
10 tigers found dead in Nilgiris in 34 days
At least 10 tigers, including an eight-year-old male which died of suspected poisoning at Emerald village a week ago, have died due to various reasons in Nilgiris district in the past 34 days