Death of two tigers in Bandipur National Park

Gundlupete: Two tigers of Hirikere forest under Bandipur National Park were found dead. The incident came to light after four days of the death and the forest department personnel are suspicious that the tigers may have been poisoned to death.

The decomposed body of a male and a female tiger, aged about three years, were found in a slightly burnt condition. According to the forest official an agitated famer could have poisioned a cattle that the tigers had killed a few days back. The tigers would have eaten that cattle and died.

The entrails of the tigers have been sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences in the state capital for testing. Veterinarian Dr. D N Nagaraju conducted the post-mortem of the tigers. The deaths have raised many questions among conservationists and officials.

The canines and claws of the tigers were intact. There were no physical injuries to the body either.

Adding to the grief, a dead body of a female elephant was found just 50 metres away from the bodies of the tigers.