17.11.10

ST - 1



The translocation of the tiger ST-1 that was found dead at Sariska......

The mysterious death of the tiger tagged ST-1—the first big cat shifted to Sariska from Ranthambore National Park in June 2008—has taken a new turn with most of the vital organs missing from the body. The carcass of the radio-collared three-and-a-half-year-old tiger was recovered late on Sunday. According to forest officials and locals, the body was was just a chunk of flesh covered with the skin. Forest officials said the brain, liver, kidney, lungs and even the elementary canal of the dead tiger were missing. However, they said the organs might have decayed due to the impact of maggots and other insects. But locals differ. “If the tiger had died only three days back, as claimed, then how could the body have decomposed so soon? When a domestic animal dies, the body does not decompose so fast. The state in which the tiger was found shows that it had died at least eight days ago,” said a resident. “An insect called bottleblue fly had enveloped the body of the tiger. These insects breed very fast and survive only on flesh. So, by the time the tiger’s body was found, it is possible these insects might have eaten up the organs,” said a forest department official. However, former principal conservator of forest and chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan, B D Sharma, termed it as a death caused by poisoning. “The question of a territorial war does not arise. With just five tigers in an area of 881 sq km, territorial war cannot happen. Moreover, doctors have not found any injury marks on the body. It is a sure case of posioning,” he said. “Villagers do poison big cats when they kill their livestock. But in the recent past there has been no case of tigers feasting on cattle,” said an officials.
“I take responsibility for the death of the tiger in the Sariska sanctuary. I admit that there have been governance and administration failure. That were the reasons for the unfortunate death of the big cat,” Jairam Ramesh said.

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