Five tigers found dead in suspected mass poisoning at Indian wildlife sanctuary
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Mother tiger and cubs found dead in suspected mass poisoning
- Five tigers, a mother and her four cubs, were discovered dead in the MM Hills wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka, southern India.
- Officials suspect the tigers died from poisoning, noting a dead cow nearby, as villagers sometimes poison carcasses to deter tigers preying on livestock.
- The incident, which occurred on Wednesday and was discovered on Thursday, is believed to be the highest single-day tiger casualty toll in one sanctuary in India.
- Eshwar B Khandre, the state minister for forest ecology and environment, has deemed the deaths "unnatural" and initiated an investigation, vowing criminal cases for any negligence or foul play.
- The deaths are particularly distressing for Karnataka, a state recognized for its successful conservation efforts and home to India's second-largest tiger population.