Cub found dead, 10th tiger death in Maharashtra in just 70 days

Nagpur: A four-month-old cub was found dead on Sunday in Pench Tiger Reserve. With this, Maharashtra lost its 10th tiger in the last 70 days since January 1, 2018.
Of the 10 tiger deaths, four were reported from Chandrapur, two from Pench and four newborn cubs in captivity in Gorewada rescue centre. Earlier, a tigress was found dead in Pench waters in Kolitmara.

According to Pench field director Ravikiran Govekar, the latest death has nothing to do with the dead Kolitmara tigress.

Govekar added the cub was being monitored since March 5, near Piwarthadi area on MP-Maharashtra border as it was found moving alone. The field staff did physical monitoring and camera trapping of the area continuously since then. The cub was found again moving around the same area on March 9.

“We tried to ensure that the cub unites with mother and ensured minimum anthropogenic interference. Necessary feeding supplements and water was made available,” said Govekar.

Govekar said wildlife vet with the department, Dr GM Kadu, was involved in monitoring continuously. Field staff heard calls on Friday night and pugmarks showed that tigress was moving around.

However, the bad condition of the cub on Saturday indicated that mother tigress was not accepting the cub. The field staff conduct an extensive search operation on Sunday morning and found carcass of the cub in nearby meadow. The tigress shared common territory with MP and Maharashtra side of Pench and has been recorded in camera traps on both sides.

“We were in constant touch with MP Pench officials since March 5. The tigress is basically a resident of Piwarthadi-Chikalakhari area of Karmazari range of MP side of Pench and has been recorded with two cubs there,” Govekar said.

MP Pench officials have identified the tigress as PTR MH-42 & PN-19 in MP. The tigress has three cubs. As per SOP, a team to deal with such abandoned cubs was also constituted which included Prafulla Bhamburkar of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), wildlife biologist Aditya Joshi of Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), Dr GM Kadu, and wildlife vet Dr AD Kholkute and Govekar himself.