Tiger cub injured in Mukundra Reserve dies in Kota zoo, missing sibling feared dead

Death continues to stalk Mukundra Hills Tiger reserve (MHTR) in Rajasthan after an injured male cub which was rescued and shifted to the Kota zoo for treatment died Tuesday morning.

The cub’s mother, tigress MT-2 was found dead on August 3 and its sibling is still missing. Forest officials said they fear the second cub has also died.

The loss of two adults and two cubs in less than a month has put a question mark over conservation efforts at Rajasthan’s third tiger reserve even as member of National Tiger Conservation Committee in Lok Sabha, Diya Kumari, wrote to Union forest minister Prakash Javedkar to take proper measures for conservation and promotion of tigers in Rajasthan.

Forest officials said tiger MT-3 was unable to move for several days and died on July 23. The carcass of tigress MT-2 was found on August 3, 48 hours after the big cat had died.

Tiger MT-3 died on July 23 because of multiple organ failure, according to the report from Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh). The post mortem report of MT-2 ruled out poisoning as cause of death.

The ailing male cub of MT-2 succumbed on Tuesday. The cub, forest officials said, was in septicemic shock after witnessing fierce a territorial fight between it smother MT-1 and another tiger MT-2.

“The cub was around 5-6 months old,” MHTR deputy conservator of forest Biju Joy said

The DCF said hemoglobin count of the cub was found to be low in the blood test a few days ago. “The autopsy is being done by medical board as per the protocols of the NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority),” Joy said.

A team of three veterinary doctors were looking after the cub and it had showed signs of recovery a few days ago.

“The cub was kept in an air-conditioned and sanitized ICU room at the zoo. A special diet was brought from Jodhpur for it,” the DCF said. He said the cub also got meningitis and its ears were treated for injury.

Meanwhile, Diya Kumari, the BJP MP from Rajsamand, claimed that the forest department tried to treat MT-3 locally instead of calling experts. “This led to its death,” she said in the letter to Javadekar. “Condition of tigers in other sanctuary areas of the state, Ranthambore, Sariska, Sajjangarh, Nahargarh, etc., is also in a dire state,” she added.

She requested the forest minister to issue necessary guidelines to the state government to investigate the causes of recent tiger deaths so that such incidents do not recur.

Earlier, the state government cracked the whip on the forest department officials after death of two tigers. Two IFS officers – chief conservator of forest (CCF) Anand Mohan and DCF T Mohanraj – were removed and kept under awaiting posting order (APO); two others, assistant conservator of forest Rajesh Kumar Sharma and ranger Makkhan Lal Sharma, were suspended on the charges of negligence in discharge of government duty.

The state government also set up an administrative enquiry to enquire into the circumstances that led to the deaths and to establish laxity on part of any officers/ staff if any, and fix responsibility accordingly; and to review the existing systems of management in the tiger reserve including monitoring protocols, identify lacunae if any and suggest ways to improve and strengthen facilities and systems.

Mukundra Hills was declared a tiger reserve in 2013 with portions of wildlife sanctuaries of Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar and Chittorgarh. It is spread across 759 square kilometer area and is now left with two adult tigers.