The carcass was found on the border between a private property and the core area in the Tala range of the famous reserve. The property reportedly belongs to a former minister.

“It looks like a case of poaching and not a natural death,’’ PCCF (wildlife) Narendra Kumar told The Indian Express. He said the forest authorities have seized a trap and are investigating exactly where and how the alleged poaching took place.

Kumar said the alleged poachers don’t appear to be professionals who normally don’t leave the carcass behind.

The poachers probably laid the trap for some other animal but the cub was trapped.

Nitin Desai of the WPSI said the incident has brought to the fore the potent threat from local poachers who are active near protected areas for animal meat.