Tigress Killed in Fatal Territorial Clash With Male Tiger in Dudhwa Buffer Zone

A tigress was found dead after a suspected territorial clash with a male tiger in Uttar Pradesh’s Dudhwa National Park buffer zone , forest officials said on Tuesday.

The carcass was recovered from the Nauniya beat of the Majhgain range , showing multiple injuries, including deep canine and claw marks , indicating a violent encounter in the wild.

Deputy Director of the Dudhwa buffer zone Kirti Chaudhary said preliminary investigation suggested the tigress died after a direct fight with a male tiger in the same territory. Officials also confirmed that pugmarks of a male tiger were found near the site, strengthening the conclusion of a territorial conflict.

The body was transported to the range headquarters, where a detailed postmortem examination was conducted by a panel of three veterinarians in accordance with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines .

Officials said the autopsy findings were consistent with infighting injuries , and no evidence of poaching or human interference was detected at the site.

As per standard procedure, viscera samples have been preserved and sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly for further laboratory analysis to rule out any additional causes.

Forest authorities noted that this incident marks the third big cat mortality in the Dudhwa buffer zone since April 1 , raising concern among wildlife officials about increasing territorial pressure among tigers in the region.

Further monitoring of tiger movement in the buffer area has been intensified to assess habitat pressure and reduce the risk of future clashes.