A male Royal Bengal tiger was found dead in the forest under Kolakaluru beat in Prakasam district on Saturday. No injuries were found on the carcass.
Forest staff saw the tiger, aged about 15 years, roaming around in the forest under Yerragondlapalem range a week ago.
Viscera samples have been collected and sent to a lab for analysis. The remains of a wild boar were found in the tiger’s digestive system indicating that the tiger was healthy and fit for hunting, said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) D. Nalini Mohan.
“No parts were missing and the carcass is intact. We suspect that the tiger died due to ageing and was not killed by poachers. However, instructions have been given to the forest officials to find the exact cause of death and follow the procedure,” the official said.
“The tiger’s carcass was found near Chenchugudem village in the Nallamala forests. The average life span of a tiger in the wild is 15 years. The animal died a few hours before the staff posted at the base camp noticed it,” Mr. Nalini Mohan, who visited the spot, told The Hindu.
Deer hunted
In a separate incident, a spotted deer was reportedly killed by some miscreants under the Mylavaram range in Krishna district. Injuries were found on the carcass, said Mylavaram Forest Range Officer G. Usharani.
Two accused, M. Venkateswarlu and M. Gopikrishna, of Gampalagudem mandal were arrested for allegedly killing the deer. They were produced before the Tiruvuru magistrate who remanded them in judicial custody.
“We seized the carcass and weapons from the suspects. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the AP Forest Act has been registered,” the FRO said.
