Last Encounter with Dhangari Male - Pandit

[Debasis Bose]

Son of Sharmilee from her last litter, they were 2 brothers and two sisters. Both the sisters (Uma and Luma) are currently ruling Bijrani. But both the brother Virat and Pandit who separated from their mother in July of 2016 are no more, after separating from mother sharmilee, Virat was never seen or reported to be seen in any zone of corbett, raising suspicion and Pandit was found dead end of March 2017, while we were in Dhikala. We had a last memorable encounter with Pandit just a km from Dhangari gate in Dec 2016. The image is from the last encounter and will be his last image shot on this location by any tourist or photographer, he was a huge tiger of four and half years, his life ended under mysterious circumstances either on 29th or 30th of March 2017. I saw his pug marks on the morning of 28th March 2017 @ 6.15 am, he was with a female and his body was found on 1st April 2017, exactly below this cemented road on the stream bed beside a trunk of a tree.

Nikon D4s, Nikon 300 F4 FL ED, Shot @ 300 F9, ISO 2250, 1/320s. On Dhangari-Dhikala Main road

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Sad to hear that this particular tiger is dead. Recently many tiger deaths have been reported from Corbett. Unless we immediately stop this war against tigers in particular and wildlife in general, we would be roaming in the empty forests.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Its unfortunate that both the male tigers were killed from the 4 cubs :(. The Forest Department found the body of the Tiger-Pandit, were they able to tell the cause of death? Thanks for sharing.