Wildlife officials find tiger carcass in national park
>>Wildlife officials have found a tiger carcass located at Mae Wong National Park, said to be a five-year-old tiger named Vichit.
Vichit the tiger reportedly strayed out of its habitat in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary before dying.
Rungroj Asavakultarin, the chief of Nakhon Sawan’s Protected Areas Regional Office 12, said he had been informed on Jan 9 by rangers from Mae Wong National Park in Kamphaeng Phet province that a tiger carcass had been found dead near a creek.
According to an examination, there were traces of animal fangs on its neck and body and claw wounds all over the carcass.
The tiger also had broken front ankles and several rotten wounds, said Mr Rungroj.
As the body of the tiger was found deep into the forest, it was decided that the carcass should be examined at the Mae Wong National Park Office by a veterinary team, he said.
Later on Jan 11, veterinarian Pimchanok Songmongkol said the examination showed the tiger was male, weighed about 100 kilogrammes, and had been dead about three days.
Its carcass had started to decay and hair began to fall out. They also found flies and worms inside wounds on the tiger’s body.
She also said that septicemia (blood poisoning caused by bacteria or toxins) was the main cause of the tiger’s death, which is quite common for the habitat.
Human interference is not thought to be a factor.
Ms Pimchanok said the tiger bones would be conserved for further research as tigers are an endangered species worthy of more study.
However, its skin and meat would be burned according to the policy of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Tiger-stripe identification showed the dead tiger was found to be one of those included in the World Wildlife Fund’s programme to repopulate tigers. It was given the name Vichit. Khao Nang Rum Wildlife Research Station in Uthai Thani province said the tiger had been born in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary five years ago and migrated to the Mae Wong National Park in February last year.
Ms Pimchanok added the area has many male tigers.
The animals may have fought for territory, leading to Vichit’s death, she said.