Tiger found dead in Corbett park

LUCKNOW: An adult male tiger was found dead near the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttar Pradesh, forest officials said Friday. The cause of the death is said to be 'rivalry over mating'.

"The fact that the body of the tiger was half-eaten shows that the animal had died in a fight with another tiger, as no other animal eats tiger flesh," said D.N.S. Suman, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Wildlife Conservator.

The dead tiger was found Thursday and the officials dismissed initial reports of poaching as the cause of its death.

Authorities say that, "since this is the mating season for the tiger, I would not be surprised if the battle between two tigers was provoked on account of a common feline they were pursuing," he said.

"Tiger fights take place either on account of territorial claims or over mating; and in both cases the fight concludes only when one is dead."