Maha tigress Avni had not eaten for 4-5 days: Necropsy report

Mumbai: Tigress Avni died due to excessive internal, and cardio-respiratory failure and her stomach and intestines were filled with fluid and gas, indicating she had not hunted or eaten for 4-5 days, according to a provisional necropsy report.

The tigress, who was believed to have turned man-eater and killed 13 people in the last two years in Yavatmal district's Pandharkawda area, was shot dead in Borati forest there last Friday.

The examination, conducted by veterinarians of various institutions, has also revealed that two "major" parts of the bullet, used to kill the 119 kg tigress, were observed and that it died due to excessive internal bleeding and cardio-respiratory failure.

Explaining the contents of the report, a wildlife expert said, "Observation of fluid and gas, without any solid content, means that the tigress had not hunted or eaten for about 4-5 days. However, it is commonly observed in large cats that they eat 25-30 kg meat on a single day and do not eat for seven days at a stretch."

The necropsy report states that a circular punctured wound on the skin of 0.5 cm diameter on the left thoracic region was found and that the gunshot was fired from below the left scapular caudal angle.