Tigress dies as tranquilisation operation goes wrong in UP; cubs missing, probe on

PILIBHIT: The death of a lactating tigress shortly after being tranquilised in the buffer zone of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has triggered scrutiny over the capture operation, with forest authorities now facing questions over missing cubs believed to have been left behind in the forest.The tigress was darted on Tuesday in Ramnagar village under the Majhgai forest range after being lured using live bait. Officials said the animal was shifted to a cage following the tranquilisation, but her condition deteriorated soon afterwards. She vomited repeatedly before collapsing later the same evening.While preliminary official findings attributed the death to haemorrhagic gastroenteritis and acute dehydration, several wildlife experts and veterinarians suspected complications linked to the tranquilisation procedure.Postmortem examination findings confirmed that the tigress was lactating, indicating the presence of dependent cubs in the area. However, the cubs have not been traced so far, raising concerns over their survival in the absence of the mother. Wildlife experts warned that young cubs face risks from starvation, heat and predators without maternal protection.The incident has led to allegations that standard operating procedures for tranquilising and handling lactating big cats may not have been followed properly.

Following the controversy, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and senior forest officials ordered a high-level inquiry into the operation. The probe panel is being led by UP’s additional principal chief conservator of forests (Project Tiger), Ram Kumar.Wildlife experts pointed out that tiger cubs remain heavily dependent on their mother during the first few months of life.Dr NVK Ashraf, principal advisor at Wildlife Trust of India and former chief veterinary officer, questioned the decision to dart the tigress while she was feeding on live bait.

“This could be one of the reasons behind the tigress vomiting repeatedly after being shifted to the cage, as sedatives can induce nausea,” he said.He also raised questions over the identification of the tigress as the same animal allegedly involved in two fatal human attacks. “Without photographic evidence and proper stripe-pattern matching, it is difficult to conclusively establish the identity of the tigress,” he said.Earlier, North Kheri divisional forest officer Kirti Chaudhary had said the tigress was identified through pug marks tracked by forest teams.A senior IFS officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, also questioned post-tranquilisation handling of the animal. “After a rescued big cat is shifted to a cage, it is usually covered from all sides with green cloth sheets to minimise stress and limit exposure to humans.

In this case, the cage remained completely uncovered,” the officer said.Some forest personnel alleged that similar lapses had surfaced in earlier tranquilisation operations as well. They cited the death of a tiger in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, a component of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, soon after darting in 2022, and another tiger death in the Mailani forest area in 2023 under similar circumstances. They also referred to a leopard that allegedly collapsed after being tranquilised in Maharajganj in 2019.