Tigress loses life, poachers gain claws and canines

Supriya Sharma, TNN | Nov 16, 2011, 08.18PM IST It's the losing battle. RAIPUR: India lost another tiger, this time to poachers in Chhattisgarh, who killed a six year old tigress and then pulled out her claws, whiskers and two canines, prized commodities in the international market. While the body of the tigress was found in Chhattisgarh's Bhoramdeo sanctuary late Tuesday night, a post mortem established she had been killed four days ago. "There is an entry wound on one side, but no exit wound. It could be either a bullet injury or made by a sharp weapon," said Ram Prakash, the state's chief wildlife warden who travelled to the spot, 200 kms away from the state capital. However, Meetu Gupta of the NGO Wildlife SOS, who also visited the site, claimed the fracture of the ribs indicated it was a bullet injury. Located in Kawardha district, Bhoramdeo sanctuary is part of a wildlife corridor connecting the famous Kanha national park in Madhya Pradesh with the newly formed Achanakmaar tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh. Forest officials said this tigress was first spotted in Bhoramdeo four months ago. "There were three cattle kills reported in this period. Our patrolling party was keeping a watch on her movements to avoid a situation like Rajnandgoan," said Ram Prakash. Less than two months ago, a village mob in Rajnandgaon rounded up and killed a tigress after she killed a woman and two dozen cattle in the border villages of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. The forest department could have tranquilised the tigress, but if failed to do so. In the latest case, it remained unclear why a specially formed patrolling unit of forest officials failed to detect poachers, or even the tiger killing for four days. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tigress-loses-life-poachers-gain-claws-and-canines/articleshow/10757665.cms