This is fourth tiger death, second in Tadoba buffer zone, this year in Chandrapur.

As per reports, patrolling forest personnel first located the carcass in a narrow nullah in Doni forest that separates core area from buffer zone on Wednesday afternoon. The place technically falls in compartment No. 348 under Mul (buffer) range.

"The carcass was lying in shallow muddy water of the nullah and was fully petrified. The carcass seemed four days old and all the vital organs had decomposed. The team of veterinary doctors failed to confirm the exact cause of death. They have collected the viscera for forensic examination and its report can only shed some light on the cause of death," said deputy director, TATR (core), GajendraNarwane, talking to TOI.

Forest officers, however, suspect that territorial fight might have led to death of the sub-adult tiger. The tiger was two years old and had recently separated from its mother Kuhani, the tigress of Kolsa range in core zone. The tigress had four cubs and the deceased was one of them. Narwane suspected that the sub-adult tiger wandering out of core area might have been attacked by a bigger tiger. He though held that no major injury marks were found what was left of the body, but argued that neck and the head where there could have been injuries was completely decomposed.

TATR officers and staffers led by CCF and field director, GP Garad, rushed to the spot on getting information. Post mortem on the carcass was performed by a team of veterinarians including wildlife veterinary officer, TATR, Dr RavikantKhobragade, livestock development officer Dr SachinHagwane and Dr Sandeep Chaonkar in the presence of PCCF representative BanduDhotre and NTCA representative Anil Dashhare.

Three tigers have died in the span of less than a month in the district. Previous two deaths were reported in adjacent Sindewahi range on April 8 and 26. First tiger this year had died in a hit-and-run case in Chandrapur (buffer) range earlier in February.