Kaziranga: Third Tiger Death in 5 Months Due to Infighting, Raises Density Concerns

• A female Royal Bengal tiger was found dead in Kaziranga National Park's Kathpora area, marking the third tiger death from infighting in five months.
• Initial observations and official statements confirm injuries consistent with violent territorial conflict, ruling out poaching or human interference.
• The repeated incidents highlight increasing territorial pressure within the densely populated tiger reserve, which has a high density of 18.65 tigers per 100 square kilometers.
• A formal committee has been constituted for post-mortem and carcass disposal, following National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines.
• Officials emphasize that infighting is a natural occurrence among territorial predators, especially in reserves with growing tiger populations, reflecting ecological success despite mortality.

Why It Matters: Kaziranga faces growing territorial challenges as its tiger population thrives, leading to increased infighting deaths.