The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve authorities have suspended a forest guard for “unwarranted firing,” leading to the death of a 10-year-old male tiger in a village on the outskirts of the wildlife habitat on June 18.
Better known for housing 57% of the world’s population of one-horned rhinos, the 1,302 sq. km Kaziranga has the highest density of tigers on earth at one per 5 sq. km.
Forest officials said the suspended guard was instructed to protect some households in the village the tiger had been frequenting to prey on cattle. “Instead of firing in the air when the tiger tried to attack him, the guard shot dead the animal,” an official said, declining to be quoted.
The carcass of the tiger was detected by the staff of the Bheroni anti-poaching camp under the Kohora Range of the tiger reserve in Japoripathar village.
The post-mortem revealed bullet injury in the lungs and heart of the striped cat. An inquiry by an Assistant Conservator of Forests had earlier found that the firing was unwarranted.
