Lone tigress in SWS Madhwalia range dies

GORAKHPUR: A carcass of an old tigress was found in the forest of Madhwalia range of Sohgibarwa Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) in Maharajganj district on Friday noon. Notably, the tigress was the only big cat in the range.

Some shepherds spotted the carcass lying near a pond and informed ranger Imtiaz Ahmed who ruled out poaching and attributed weakness and old age as the cause of death.

However, district forest officer (DFO) Maneesh Singh said the big cat’s carcass had been sent for autopsy by a panel of veterinary doctors and further added, “The reason behind death can be ascertained only after the postmortem report comes.”

Meanwhile, a half-eaten carcass of calf was found lying near the tigress’s carcass. This led to the suspicion that poachers might have mixed poison in the calf’s carcass to kill the tigress.

Later, the tigress was cremated in the presence of officials to prevent poachers from taking away her skin and body parts for smuggling in international market.

Notably, the National Tiger Conservation Authority at present is conducting tiger census in three ranges of the sanctuary: Madhvalia, Shivpur and Laxmip.

SOME SHEPHERDS SPOTTED THE CARCASS LYING NEAR A POND AND INFORMED RANGER IMTIAZ AHMED