Is it the same tiger that killed three persons?

Ponnampet: The carcass of a male tiger has been found in South Kodagu this morning near Kotur village. The body was spotted inside a forest area near Lakkunda at around 11 am by some local villagers.

As the body has been decomposed, stench was emanating in the surroundings. Alert villagers presumed that a cow or a buffalo might have been killed by the tiger. But as they neared the spot following the smell, the tiger’s carcass was found.  The Forest Department was informed later.

The Department officials confirmed that it is the same tiger that killed three persons and over 19 cattle heads since February 20. Officials said that the tiger died of gunshot as sharpshooter Susheel Kumar had fired on it four to five days back.

At the time of firing the shot, it was presumed that the bullet had not hit the tiger as the feline                                                        fled from the spot with loud growls. Even the local villagers had dismissed the Department version that the bullet had hit the big cat.

Now the Department officials have confirmed that the shot fired by sharp-shooter Susheel had indeed hit the tiger and even examining the rate of decomposition, it can be assumed that the tiger died four to five days back.

Officials said that the male tiger was first spotted to a camera trap in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve and was identified as the 13U285 male that migrated from Kallala forest range of Nagarahole and is approximately 10 to 11 years old. In the 2013 tiger census, the Forest Department had caught CCTV footage of the same male tiger, then aged approximately 3 to 4 years.