Bengaluru: The carcass of a seven-year-old tiger was found in a concrete pipe at Gubbi taluk of Tumakuru district yesterday. According to forest officials, this is the first time that the carcass of a tiger has been found in the district, which has no population of the big cats.

The carcass of the male tiger, aged about 6-7 years, was found in a large pipe on the bund of a tank near Chikkahedagehalli in Gubbi taluk. The place is close to Ankasandra State Forest in the Gubbi range.

The villagers, who found the tiger in the pipe, alerted the Forest officials. A detailed post-mortem and combing operation to search for pugmarks and scats was taken up in the area to ascertain any signs of other big cats. The officials are left wondering about the origin of the deceased tiger.

There have been no tiger sightings in Tumakuru for many years. Though there have been cases of tiger sightings in some parts, there was no photographic or video evidence.

Wildlife experts feel that the tiger may have strayed out from either Bhadra Tiger Reserve, which is 132 km away, or the Bannerghatta National Park near Bengaluru, which is about 136 km from the site where the carcass was found.

In a statement, officials said that are assessing the reason for the presence of the tiger in the area. The tiger seems healthy. There are no visible injuries. The post-mortem report will reveal the cause of death, they added.