Tiger cub killed in hit-and-run accident in Kotagiri

The male cub, about five months old, was found dead after it was reportedly hit by an unidentified vehicle

A tiger cub was reportedly killed in a hit-and-run accident on the Kotagiri-Mettupalayam highway, near Mamaram village, on Thursday (October 10, 2024) night.

The male cub, about five months old, was found dead after it was reportedly hit by an unidentified vehicle. The incident occurred within the Kotagiri Forest Range, Nilgiris Forest Division, and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

Forest Department officials, upon receiving the information, rushed to the scene and recovered the cub’s remains. Intensive vehicle checks were conducted at nearby Police and Forest Department check-points, and the District Forest Officer, Nilgiris, visited the site to oversee the investigation.

A postmortem examination was conducted on Friday (October 11, 2024) at the Longwood Forest Rest House in the presence of senior forest officials, including the Assistant Conservator of Forests, the Kotagiri Range Officer, and the Forest Committee Chairman.

The examination, performed by Rajeshkumar, Veterinary Officer of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, and Revathi, Assistant Veterinary Surgeon, revealed that the cub had broken ribs. Samples were collected for further analysis, and the cub was later buried at the site.

Published - October 12, 2024 12:42 pm IST