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A tiger, a 2.5-tonne rhino carcass in a marsh: Why a rare killing in Dudhwa reserve left forest officials stunned
Officials suspect the rhino got trapped in the marsh, leaving it vulnerable to an attack by the big cat.
Officials believe the tiger chanced upon the rhino and attacked the softer parts of its body, particularly around the head and neck. (Express photo)
On Thursday morning, a forest department team was carrying out a routine inspection inside the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve when they came across an unexpected sight that left them stunned — a tiger standing atop a half-submerged carcass of a rhino in Amrah Tal.
Following the discovery, senior forest officials were immediately alerted and rushed to the spot to assess the situation.
Officials suspect the rhinoceros had become trapped in a dal-dal (marshy patch) of the lake, located inside the Rhino Rehabilitation Enclosure I, Sonaripur forest range, leaving it vulnerable.
Officials believe the tiger chanced upon the rhino and attacked the softer parts of its body, particularly around the head and neck.
In a tense operation that lasted several hours, forest officials used five earthmover machines and five trained elephants to retrieve the carcass even as the tiger suspected to be behind the attack was lurking at a short distance from the site.
A post-mortem examination was conducted at the spot by the veterinary team, which showed that the animal was a female rhinoceros weighing 2.5 tonnes.
The carcass was later buried at the same location as per standard forest department procedures.
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Why the killing is unusual
Officials said the incident was highly unusual, noting that adult rhinoceroses are rarely targeted by tigers due to their enormous size, thick skin and formidable strength.
Field Director of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, H Rajamohan, said, “The maximum lifespan of a rhinoceros is around 35 to 40 years. We spotted a tiger near the site during the operation, though forest staff claim that two tigers are operating in the area. Such incidents are rare because the rhino that died was an adult and fully grown.”
Forest officials said the Dudhwa landscape supports a significant population of both rhinoceroses and tigers.
According to official estimates, a total of 49 rhinos are currently present across Rhino Rehabilitation Enclosure-I and II as well as in the adjoining free-range areas where the animals roam under monitored protection.
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The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and the Katarniya Ghat forest division are also home to a thriving tiger population. Officials said the combined forest areas currently support around 135 tigers.
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