Tiger Cubs Poisoned Using Buffalo Bait, Paws Cut Off in Shocking Uttarakhand Poaching Crime

A chilling case of suspected organised wildlife poaching has emerged from Uttarakhand’s Haridwar forest division, where two tiger siblings were allegedly poisoned and mutilated in the Shyampur range , triggering a massive manhunt and renewed concerns over illegal wildlife trafficking networks operating near the Rajaji Tiger Reserve .

Forest officials recovered the carcasses of a male and a female tiger, believed to be around 18 months to two years old , from the Sajanpur beat of the Shyampur compartment over a span of nearly 24 hours. The male cub was found first during a routine tracking operation, while the carcass of the female cub was later discovered hidden inside a nearby seasonal drain. Both animals had their paws severed after death .

Investigators suspect the cubs were killed after consuming meat from a partially eaten buffalo carcass allegedly laced with poison. Officials believe the buffalo had earlier been hunted by the mother tigress, after which the accused poisoned the remains and waited for the animals to return to feed.

Divisional Forest Officer Swapnil Anirudh said the poachers likely intended to return later to remove the skin and canines for the illegal wildlife trade, but forest teams reached the spot before the operation could be completed. Authorities suspect the severed paws were meant for trafficking in wildlife body parts.

One accused, identified in different reports as Alam alias Ammi or Fammi, a resident of a Van Gujjar settlement inside the forest range, has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody. Three others, including Amir Hamza alias Miyan , Ashiq and Juppi, remain absconding. Joint teams of the forest department, police, Special Task Force and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau are conducting raids to trace them.

Officials said Amir Hamza had previously been linked to a 2017 poaching case involving tiger and leopard bones, intensifying suspicions of organised wildlife crime.

The mother tigress remains missing , though fresh pugmarks have reportedly been found near the site. Camera traps and combing operations have been intensified amid fears that she may also have consumed poisoned meat. Officials confirmed the two cubs were believed to be her only offspring from the litter, effectively wiping out an entire tiger lineage in the area.

The Shyampur range forms a crucial buffer zone adjoining the Chilla range of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, which is home to more than 50 tigers. Wildlife experts say the case highlights growing concerns over human-wildlife conflict , retaliatory killings and the possible involvement of local networks in poaching operations. Post-mortem examinations of the carcasses were conducted under National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines .