Nagpur: A male tiger aged approximately five to six years was discovered dead in the Chanoda area under the South Umred Forest Range on Saturday morning. Forest officials have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
No Signs of Poaching
Forest officials confirmed that all body parts of the tiger, including its skin, claws, canines, teeth, paws, tail, and whiskers, were intact, ruling out any immediate evidence of poaching. Samples have been collected for forensic examination to determine the exact cause of death.
Discovery by Locals
Local villagers alerted forest staff after spotting the carcass in a stream adjacent to Compartment No. 364 PF in the Nandra (West) beat of the South Umred Forest Range. Senior forest officials were promptly informed, and action was taken in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures established by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Postmortem Conducted
A thorough inspection of the area was carried out, and the tiger's body was transported to the range office premises. A postmortem examination was conducted following NTCA guidelines by a team of veterinarians led by Dr. Sujith Kolangat of WRTC Gorewada. Senior forest officials present included Conservator of Forests G Guruprasad, Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr. Vinita Vyas, Assistant Conservator of Forests Manoj Dhanvijay, and South Umred Range Forest Officer Vivek Ambatkar. Representatives from the NTCA and the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests also attended the procedure.
Cause of Death Pending Reports
Forest officials stated that the exact cause of death will be determined only after the postmortem and forensic reports are received. Meanwhile, local villagers suspect the tiger may have been struck by lightning, as the region experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by intense lightning and thunderstorm activity on Friday. Forest authorities have not confirmed this claim and are awaiting the postmortem reports before drawing any conclusions.
Legal Proceedings
Following the examination, the tiger was cremated as per prescribed protocols. A forest offence has been registered in connection with the death, and further investigation is being conducted by Assistant Conservator of Forests Manoj Dhanvijay.
Tiger Habitat in Focus
The Umred-Karhandla landscape is one of Maharashtra's prominent tiger habitats and has seen a steady increase in the big cat population over the years. Forest officials are now awaiting forensic findings to determine the circumstances leading to the tiger's death.
