A tigress that was reportedly found in an exhausted state near a stream at Maniyar, near Vadasserikkara, on Tuesday afternoon died later in the day.
The tigress was under the observation of forest personnel who rushed to the spot. It could be the animal that killed a plantation worker at Medappara, near Thannithode, on May 7, they said.
The autopsy of the carcass was conducted by veterinary surgeons Shyam Chandran, K.Kishore Kumar, and Rahul Nair on Wednesday afternoon. Ranni Divisional Forest Officer M. Unnikrishnan and other officers were present.
Dr. Shyam Chandran said the immediate cause of death of the animal was asphyxia. It was found that porcupine spines had pierced its lungs and throat.
Carcass buried
Experts infer that the tigress died of starvation after the spines got lodged in its throat during a fight with a porcupine. The carcass was buried at the forest range office compound at Vadasserikkara in the afternoon.
