Three tigers found dead in Chandrapur

A farmer has confessed to poisoning a calf as he wanted to target stray dogs that he believed killed it; it was eaten by the tigress and her two cubs

The carcasses of a tigress and her two cubs were found in the Bramhapuri Forest Division in Chandrapur District near Nagpur on Monday. Forest officials had taken a local farmer into custody, and say that he has confessed to poisoning the carcass of a calf, which could have been consumed by the tigers. However, the farmer claims he did it to target stray dogs which he thought had killed his calf.

This year India lost has 51 tigers while the tiger deaths last year were 91, worrying conservationists. Actor and wildlife lover Randeep Hooda has tweeted his demand of a proper investigation into the death of the tigers.

According to senior Forest Department officials, the carcasses were found in a field in the Kavadsi Range inside Brahmapuri Forest Division. They also found a dead calf nearby. Before the farmer confessed, officials had suspected that the tigers ate the calf, which was probably poisoned.

The incident has left conservationists and wildlife lovers red faced as it also highlights the fact that tigers staying outside protected areas are at risk of electrocution, retaliatory killings, poisoning etc.

Sarosh Lodhi, one of the founder members of Group Conservation Lenses and Wildlife (CLaW), said, "Incidents of retaliation killings have increased over the years in central India. This problem can only be solved if issues such as compensation process related to cattle kill, crop degradation by herbivores etc. are addressed."

Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) Kulraj Singh from Brahmapuri Forest Division said, "The bodies of the tigers were sent for post-mortem which was supervised by Chief Conservator of Forest S V Ramarao. Prima facie it appears to be a case of poisoning. One Pandurang Chaudhari, 62, a local farmer, has been taken into custody for further investigations."

Forest officials said that during interrogation the farmer confessed that he had poisoned the carcass of his calf. However, he claimed that he had poisoned it to kill stray dogs, which he believed killed it. The tigress and cubs had dragged the carcass of the calf into another field and eaten it.

Tweet talk

Randeep Hooda @randeephooda:
3 tigers (mother and 2 cubs) have been found dead near Chimur in #Tadoba landscape #Maharashtra looks like a case of poisoning .. can this be investigated and the guilty be punished ?? @SMungantiwar @MahaForest @moefcc @PrakashJavdekar

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