OFFICIALS BELIEVE POACHERS POISONED FEMALE TIGER

Wildlife officials suspect poisoning was the cause of death of an adult female tiger f ound near Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary i n Uthai Thani province.

Passers-by found the tiger carcass yesterday morning at the Forest Industry Organisation’s forest plantation, about 6km from the wildlife sanctuary.

The tiger was about eight years old and weighed about 70kg, wildlife authorities said.

They believe the beast was from Huai Kha Khaeng, which is a World Heritage nature site and a major habitat for tigers.

Officials believe the tiger died about five days ago.

Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary chief Sompote Maneerat yesterday said vets were conducting an autopsy on the tiger to find the cause of death. The result is expected to be known within a week.

An initial investigation found the tiger’s left hind ankle was cut, but no bullet wounds were found on the body.

Four goat carcasses were also found near the dead tiger and the authorities suspect the goats were used as bait by tiger hunters.

He said the goat carcasses might have been contaminated with toxic substances, probably pesticide, as no worms were found in their rotting flesh.

‘‘We believed the tiger died from toxic chemicals after eating these goat carcasses,’’ Mr Sompote said, adding the vets had also collect the goats’ tissue for analysis.

Mr Sompote said three years ago a group of wildlife poachers poisoned tigers at the sanctuary and he suspected this could be a copycat crime.

In 2010, forest officials found the corpses of one female tiger and its two cubs close to a carcass of a deer at the sanctuary.

They concluded the tigers had been killed by poison.