Two tigers died in the Bitherkad forest area of ​​the Gudalur forest district on Tuesday. The cause of death is suspected to be poisoning as they had eaten poisoned wild boar meat.

The forest department said it had received information about the death of a single tiger in Sussex Estate, a land classified as Section 17 land under the Gudalur Janmam Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1969, in Nelakottai area of ​​Bitherkad Range. The carcass of a subadult tigress and another adult tigress, suspected to be its mother, were found less than 100 metres apart.

As per standard procedures of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, a 500-meter radius around the carcasses was searched. The partially consumed carcass of a wild boar was found. During the examination of the wild boar carcass, the paw prints of the two tigers were found.

During the autopsy of the two tigers’ carcasses, the veterinarians found the remains of the wild boar. In addition, when analyzing the tigers’ intestines, they found that their internal organs showed similar damage, consistent with signs of poisoning.

Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Conservator of Forests (Nilgiris), D. Venkatesh, said The Hindu The exact sequence of events leading to the death of the two tigers would become clearer once the results of the forensic examinations of the tiger and wild boar’s viscera were returned to the forest department.