Tigress, four cubs found dead in MM Hills sanctuary; forest dept suspects poisoning

ATigress and her quatern cubs were found deadened below suspicious circumstances in the core group country of Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary (MM Hills) in the Chamarajaranagar district on Thursday, a forest official said.“The five carcasses were found at 11am during a routine patrol by beat staff in Hanur taluk. It is suspected that the big cats may have consumed poisoned meat, possibly placed at the spot to target them,” said T Heera Lal, Chamarajanagar chief conservator of forests.“Prima facie it seems a case of food poisoning. The tigress, aged between 8 to 10 years, may have killed a cow and returned later to feed on the carcass, which could have been laced with poison. The cubs were around two to three years old —one male and four females. The autopsy was conducted by veterinary doctor of forest department Dr B Waseem, and we are awaiting the report,” he said.“Physical samples from the dead tigers have been sent for forensic and toxicological analysis. Forest officials have been deployed in the area to assess the situation and collect further evidence. The investigation is also expected to explore possible motives behind the incident, such as retaliatory action from locals or potential poaching attempts,” Lal added.Following this, forest minister Eshwar Khandre directed the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) to lead a high-level investigation into the incident and submit a report within three days. In response, the forest department formed a six-member special investigation team under the leadership of additional PCCF BP Ravi to look into the incident.In addition to Ravi and two other senior officials of the forest department, the team also includes a veterinary officer, a representative from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and renowned wildlife expert Sanjay Gubbi.“This is a serious and tragic incident. If poisoning is confirmed, we will initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible. Any negligence on the part of forest staff will also be dealt with strictly,” Khandre said.The forest minister also warned that any lapses in patrolling or any signs of dereliction of duty would be taken seriously and action would follow.“If it is confirmed that poison was used, it is not just a wildlife offence—it is a criminal act. The culprits must be brought to justice,” Khandre reiterated, stressing that accountability must be established at all levels.MM Hills is a key ecological corridor connecting the Bilgirirangana Hills in Karnataka with the Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka currently has the second-largest tiger population in India, with 563 tigers, and the loss of five in a single incident has dealt a serious blow to conservation efforts.The incident comes at a time when Karnataka is working to project its tiger conservation model as a national benchmark.“This incident underscores the urgent need to improve local engagement and enforcement of wildlife protection laws”, environmentalist Joseph Hoover told HT.