<p>Two tigers and an elephant were found dead on Thursday in Hirikere forest area under the Bandipur National Park limits.</p>.<p>The decomposed carcass of a three-year-old male tiger and a two-year-old female tiger were found in a partially burnt condition, raising suspicion over the deaths.</p>.<p>The wildcats may have died five days ago.</p>.<p>The carcass of a female elephant was found just 50 metres from the carcasses of the tigers. Portions of its body had been consumed by wild animals.</p>.<p>With this, five elephants have died so far in the region in the last month. Earlier, three elephant calves and one male elephant were found dead.</p>.<p>Forest department personnel said the tigers may have been poisoned to death.</p>.<p>"A few shepherds have been venturing into the forests for grazing. The department stopped them and deployed a security guard. This may have irked them. They may have poisoned the tigers. But the reason for the elephant's death is yet to be ascertained," they said.</p>.<p>The viscera of the tigers have been collected and sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, for testing.</p>.<p>Veterinarian Dr D N Nagaraju conducted the postmortem.</p>.<p>The deaths have raised many questions among conservationists and officials.</p>.<p>The canines and claws of the tigers were intact. There were no physical injuries to the body either.</p>.<p>"A few days back there was a tiger killed cattle...an agitated farmer could have poisoned the cattle. The hungry tigers could have eaten it and died," said a forest official.</p>.<p>This could be the first poisoning case in the last two years. The last poisoning case was in December 2014 in Karaka channel.</p>.<p>The tiger then had a gunshot wound. Two tiger poisoning cases were reported in 2013, one in HD Kotte territorial range and the second in DB Kuppe range in Mastigudi.</p>
<p>Two tigers and an elephant were found dead on Thursday in Hirikere forest area under the Bandipur National Park limits.</p>.<p>The decomposed carcass of a three-year-old male tiger and a two-year-old female tiger were found in a partially burnt condition, raising suspicion over the deaths.</p>.<p>The wildcats may have died five days ago.</p>.<p>The carcass of a female elephant was found just 50 metres from the carcasses of the tigers. Portions of its body had been consumed by wild animals.</p>.<p>With this, five elephants have died so far in the region in the last month. Earlier, three elephant calves and one male elephant were found dead.</p>.<p>Forest department personnel said the tigers may have been poisoned to death.</p>.<p>"A few shepherds have been venturing into the forests for grazing. The department stopped them and deployed a security guard. This may have irked them. They may have poisoned the tigers. But the reason for the elephant's death is yet to be ascertained," they said.</p>.<p>The viscera of the tigers have been collected and sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, for testing.</p>.<p>Veterinarian Dr D N Nagaraju conducted the postmortem.</p>.<p>The deaths have raised many questions among conservationists and officials.</p>.<p>The canines and claws of the tigers were intact. There were no physical injuries to the body either.</p>.<p>"A few days back there was a tiger killed cattle...an agitated farmer could have poisoned the cattle. The hungry tigers could have eaten it and died," said a forest official.</p>.<p>This could be the first poisoning case in the last two years. The last poisoning case was in December 2014 in Karaka channel.</p>.<p>The tiger then had a gunshot wound. Two tiger poisoning cases were reported in 2013, one in HD Kotte territorial range and the second in DB Kuppe range in Mastigudi.</p>
