Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Tigress Dies Hours After Capture, SIT Launched

A three member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the sudden death of a four year old tigress in the Majhgain range of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve buffer zone, with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) separately seeking a detailed factual report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the capture operation and compliance with its Standard Operating Procedures.

The tigress, suspected of killing 60 year old farmer Matadin on June 14 and 40 year old Kokila on June 15, was tranquillised and captured alive on June 23 after a week-long operation. Forest officials said she recovered from sedation within about 30 minutes, remained normal through the day, and was declared medically fit for release before suddenly collapsing around 6.30 pm.

Forest Minister Arun Kumar Saxena said the SIT, headed by PCCF Lalit Kumar Verma with Additional PCCF A P Singh and veterinarian Utkarsh Shukla , will determine whether any lapses occurred. NTCA Member Secretary Sanjay Kumar Pathak confirmed that the authority has sought details of the entire operation and adherence to prescribed protocols.

The carcass was sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) , Bareilly. Preliminary post mortem findings indicate haemorrhagic gastritis , severe parasitic infestation, possible hyperthermia due to extreme summer conditions, and capture related stress as probable contributing factors. Histopathology and toxicology reports are awaited before the exact cause is established.

The death has raised concern because the tigress was lactating. While initial reports suggested she may have left behind cubs, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve officials said drone surveys and intensive combing found no evidence of cubs so far, although monitoring continues. The incident has intensified scrutiny of wildlife rescue protocols, with the SIT and NTCA investigations expected to determine whether established conservation guidelines were fully followed.