Forest officials hushed up tiger death

January 4, 2012 DC Bengaluru The male tiger, which reportedly died after being caught in a jaw trap in Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) last weekend, was allegedly buried in Rampura in Kalkere range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, according to highly placed sources. What is even more shocking is that this information was reportedly known to the senior forest officials, who “not only hushed up the tiger’s death, but also buried the big cat in Rampura without an autopsy – a violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 under which the reasons for a tiger’s death have to be ascertained through an autopsy, which has to be videographed in the presence of forest officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations,” said the source. It is reliably learnt that the poachers from Madhya Pradesh, who had laid the jaw trap, have reportedly been camping in the Bandipur National Park for the last eight to nine months with no action taken against them. Following media reports, the forest officials on Tuesday caught the group and detained them in Maddur range of Bandipur National Parkfor interrogation, the source added. This is the second tiger which lost its life in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in less than one week. The forest officials are attributing the death of the other tiger to hunger. Conservationists are also worried about the whereabouts of another six-year-old male tiger with a scar on the left eye, which is a huge attraction among tourists in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. “He has not been spotted in the last two months,” added the source. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/forest-officials-hushed-tiger-death-678