Kota, Oct 15 (PTI) The skeletal remains of a missing 9-year-old tigress ‘T-102’ were found in a remote forest area in Rajasthan’s Bundi, officials said on Tuesday, adding that one of her cubs born last year has been unaccounted for several days and is suspected missing.
The skeletal remains were discovered in the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve on Monday late evening, triggering concern among wildlife enthusiasts, even as officials termed the animal’s death as “natural”.
The remains were disposed off as per norms after a postmortem by a medical board at the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) on Tuesday afternoon, the officials said.
DCF Sanjeev Sharma said the death was “natural” as all four canines and nails of the wild animal were intact and Bandrapole Nallah, the spot where the remains were found is in the remote core area of the reserve where no human activity is reported.
After the tigress remained untraceable even after search with around 40 cameras for the past 20 days, the teams of the forest reserve were sent to remote areas where they discovered the the skeletal remains on Monday evening, the DCF said.
The tigress, aged nine, was identified by its radio collar,which was lying nearby and had been inactive for some time, Sharma said. It appeared that the animal had died 10 to 15 days ago, he added.
Meanwhile, one of the two cubs of the deceased tigress, born last year, is also suspected missing, the DCF further said.
The Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve had 5 big cats, including 1 male tiger, two tigresses and two cubs, he said, noting that four are left now with one cubs still untraceable.
Dr Pankaj Gupta, a member of the medical board that examined the skeletal remains of ‘T-102’, said the animal’s “major bones were intact, suggesting a natural death”. He added that bone samples have been sent to lab for examination.
Last year, a photograph of the T-102 tigress with her young cubs was captured by the forest department’s trap cameras, bringing delight to Bundi district’s wildlife department. The then chief minister Ashok Gehlot, along with various ministers and district representatives, sent their felicitations.
Wildlife enthusiasts were disheartened when they heard about the tigress’s demise on Tuesday morning.
Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve is the 52nd tiger reserve in the country. With the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s approval, a tiger has been dwelling here for the past three and a half years, while the T-102 was relocated from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on July 16, 2022. PTI COR RPA
