Rajasthan Forest Department has found a decomposed body of tigress MT2 in Mukundara Reserve today.
The tigress was off the radar of the department for over 72 hours. She had given birth to 2 cubs some time ago and one of the cubs is also not traceable.
This is the second instance of a tiger's death in the last 10 days. MT2 is the same tigress for whom Tiger MT3 had travelled from Ranthambore to Mukundara. The tiger was found dead just 10 days ago on July 23.
The tiger walked across three districts from Ranthambore to Mukundara Tiger Reserve in search of its mate MT2, died on Thursday under mysterious circumstances. The carcass of MT3 was found close to the enclosure where his mate was being held. He was just six years old and in the prime of his life.
MT3 had reportedly been injured while hunting a blue bull (Neelgai) and had been limping for the last several days. A team had been sent for his treatment two days ago, but the tiger died before he could be treated. A post-mortem showed cardio shock along with lung infection as the possible reasons for death. But the forest department could not give any reason for the lung infection and a foot injury could not be reason enough to cause the death of a tiger.
MT3, earlier called T98, was the offspring of tigress T60 and was born in Ranthambore. Tiger lovers fondly speak of the love story between tiger MT3 and tigress MT2. The two inhabited the same area of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, with tigress MT2 known as T106. There was mutual affection observed between the two.
However, around a year-and-a-half ago, two tigers were relocated from Ranthambore to the newly established Mukundara Tiger Reserve, with T106 (now MT2) being one of them. T98 had exhibited aggressive behaviour after she was relocated and had attacked a woman then.
Unknown to the forest department, the lonely T98 had then set off on a trek spanning 150 kilometres, crossing three districts and the river Kali Sindh, in search of his mate. The forest department learnt of his presence in the Darra area of Mukundara Tiger Reserve only when he was captured on a photo trap camera.
