March 20, 2017 - Video of a tiger capture in India has sparked controversy and an investigation. The tiger allegedly killed two people near the Corbett Tiger Reserve last Thursday and was captured by authorities later that day and died soon thereafter. The video shows the tiger pinned by a excavator, which the forestry department says has been used for safety reasons in operations involving the capture of other man-eating tigers. Wildlife advocates have questioned whether the tiger died as a result of injuries from apparently being crushed by the excavator. A wildlife expert told The Times of India under the condition of anonymity: "Even if the forest department felt it necessary to use an earthmover to scare the tiger, what was the need to crush the animal under it? It had already been tranquilized.” The forestry department says the animal died from injuries sustained in encounters with other tigers, but an investigation is underway.
Read more about the status of tigers and human-wildlife conflict in India that may have led to this horrific incident.Learn more about Bengal tigers.
