Turf fight could be reason behind tiger's death: officials

Territorial fight appears to be the reason for the death of a tiger, whose carcass was found in a decomposed state in Pench Tiger Reserve, officials said today.
"Prima facie it appears that the young male tiger aged about three years could have died after the territorial fight with an adult big cat, Tiger Reserve's Deputy Director, Kiran Bisen told PTI.
The carcass of the feline was found yesterday in the core area of the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
The young tiger must have died four-five days back, she said.
"The Reserve staff were keeping an eye on the movements of two male tigers. It appears that after a territorial fight with an active adult tiger, the young feline died.

"During breeding season, tigers normally fight to establish their territories," Bisen added.

The forest official said that it was the duty of the beat guard to keep an eye on several kilometre area but in the rainy seasons it is not possible to cover the entire area and probably that was the reason behind not spotting the tiger immediately after the incident.
Besides, in the rainy season the stinking smell of dead animals spreads slowly.
After rains halted and there was sunlight, the beat guards spotted the carcass in the Kurai range area, the officer added.
She further said that no traces of poaching of big cat were found at the spot and the tiger's nails, teeth and other important body parts were intact.

The last rites of big cat was performed after autopsy, the official added.