In a concerning incident for wildlife conservation, the carcass of an adult female Royal Bengal tiger was discovered in Assam's Kaziranga National Park on Sunday. This marks the second such fatality within the park's boundaries in the past five months, with forest authorities pointing to territorial clashes, or infighting, as the primary cause.
Discovery and Initial Findings
Forest guards patrolling the Paschim Bimoli area of the Western Range, Bagori, came across the lifeless body of the big cat around 10 am. Officials noted that the carcass had not begun to decompose, indicating a recent death. The tiger was estimated to be between 8 to 10 years old.
A statement released by the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) authority confirmed that a post-mortem examination was conducted immediately by a committee formed as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Preliminary findings strongly suggest that infighting led to the tiger's demise.
A Natural but Concerning Phenomenon
Explaining the circumstances, Divisional Forest Officer of the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Arun Vignesh, stated that such infighting is a natural behavior among tigers, primarily occurring during disputes over territory expansion. "A tiger is a solitary animal and they fight for territories, resulting in such deaths. If another tiger enters one tiger's territory, such infighting takes place," Vignesh said.
He further added that the specific area where the carcass was found is known to have a quite good number of tigers, which reinforced their suspicion of a fatal territorial clash. This incident echoes a similar event from August last year, when two tiger carcasses were discovered in Kaziranga. One death was attributed to old age, while the other was confirmed to be due to infighting.
Conservation Context and Tiger Population
While infighting is part of the natural ecological process for these apex predators, consecutive deaths within a short span draw attention to the dynamics within the protected area. Kaziranga is a critical bastion for the Royal Bengal tiger, with the last year's estimation placing the population at 148 tigers within the park.
The recurrence of such incidents underscores the intense pressure for space and resources even within a well-protected reserve. Forest officials continue to monitor the situation closely, ensuring that the standard protocols for investigation and carcass disposal are meticulously followed to maintain the health of the ecosystem.
