Voice 9, News Desk: Two tigresses were found
dead in close proximity to the Avalanche Dam surplus water channel in Kundha
taluk of Nilgiris district on Saturday evening. One of the carcasses was found
floating on a river leading to the Emerald Dam, while the second was found in a
slush 10 meters away.
Initial investigations suggest that the adult
tigresses, aged between four and five years, may have died two days prior. No
external injuries were found, indicating that the animals had not died due to
territorial conflict. Forest workers are conducting searches in nearby areas to
determine if the tigers died due to poisoning. The exact reason for the deaths
can only be established after the completion of the postmortem, scheduled to be
carried out on Sunday morning.
Three veterinarians, including veterinary assistant
surgeon Theppakkadu K. Rajesh Kumar, will perform the autopsy in the presence
of NGO members. A senior official stated that 20 forest staffers from Udhagai
South and Kundha Forest rangers are carrying out combing operations near the
location where the carcasses were found to identify possible clues for the
cause of death.
The staff will not touch the carcasses until the
autopsy is carried out, and the veterinarians will check the position of the
carcasses before conducting the postmortem. Sources indicate that at least six
tigers, three each in Muthumaalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Nilgiris Forest
Division, have died due to various reasons in the Nilgiris district in the last
month.
