In a major jolt to tiger lovers and conservationists, three big cats, an adult and two juvenile, have been found dead in Chandrapur district in Maharashtra, in Chimur forest, near Tadoba-Andhari TR, earlier this week. All facts of investigation points to the striped cats, a tigress and her cubs(one male, one female), having died due to poisoning, as a result of devouring a dead calf. The calf was earlier killed by a predator, and was embedded with poison, an organophosphate insecticide, by its erstwhile owner who wanted revenge against the said predator. Pandurang Chaudhari, the calf’s owner is a resident of the nearby Metepar village, and has confessed to his crime. The bodies of the dead tigress and her cubs have ben taken for post-mortem, with samples sent to forensic labs for confirmation of actual cause of death.

As reported by Times Of India

Image credit: New Indian Express