Royal Bengal Tiger found dead in Assam's Kaziranga, suspected to have been poisoned, say officials

A female Royal Bengal tiger was found dead at Sildubi in Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, officials said on Tuesday.

Forest and wildlife officials said that on the basis of the tiger repository database of camera trap, the four and a half year old tiger was identified as "Kazi".

"The cause of death was ascertained as suspected poisoning. Preliminary offense report has been submitted to the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate of Bokakhat and investigation is on," a senior wildlife official said.

He said that poisoning of tigers near Mihimukh, the prime tourist zone in Kaziranga, is a disturbing trend for all concerned.

Last year, four Royal Bengal tigers of different ages were killed due to various reasons including infighting among the animals in Kaziranga, one of India's seven UNESCO world heritage sites. Extending across Assam's Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Biswanath, and Karbi Anglong districts, it is home to more than 2,400 one-horned Indian rhinos, approximately two thirds of the total world population.

It also has 121 tigers, 1,089 elephants and huge numbers of Asiatic buffalo, swamp deer, wild boar, hog deer, porcupine and other endangered animals.

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