Between 2008 and 2010, five tigers were translocated from Rajasthan’s Ranthambhore National Park to Sariska. ST-1, one of the two males, went missing on November 11 this year; ST-4, the other male, was already missing since October 30. (It was found later.) “More than half the staff was busy tracking ST-4,” said K K Garg, ex-chief conservator of forests, Sariska. He was transferred a week after the tiger’s death. On November 14 when alarm signals went off from ST-1’s radio collar, officials reached the decomposed body near Kalakhet village on the reserve’s fringe.
“Park officials conducted the post mortem, but it was inconclusive,” said H M Bhatia, chief wildlife warden of Rajasthan. The samples have been sent to a forensic lab in Jaipur to ascertain the cause of death, he added. The forensic report was awaited till the time of going to press. A departmental inquiry is also on, headed by B L Meena, chief conservator of forests, Jodhpur.
Three days before the tiger was found dead signals from its radio collar had stopped. “It is common in Sariska to not receive signals for a day or two,” said Garg. As a result of the reserve’s undulating terrain, deep gorges and tall grass, forest officials said they receive signals only up to 500 metres.
“It is difficult to say what led to the death. The body was found 72 hours later, most vital organs were decomposed,” said Garg. “It is most likely the tiger was poisoned. The foul-smelling carcass was lying near Kalakhet village yet none of the residents reported the matter,” Garg added. “For most villagers livestock is their biggest treasure. Tigers are a threat to the livestock,” said Belinda Wright, founder of Wildlife Protection Society of India.
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