3-doctor team conducts autopsy on Sacorda tiger

Keri: A team of three veterinary doctors conducted a postmortem examination of a tiger carcass on Sunday after highly decomposed remains were found in the forested area of Sacorda, Dharbandora, on Saturday.


The autopsy was carried out at the Nature Interpretation Centre of the wildlife division at Mollem. Since the carcass was in a highly decomposed state, it was difficult to ascertain the cause of death on prima facie evidence.


Chetan Chowgule, a veterinary doctor who examined the remains on Saturday, told TOI, that the tiger must have died almost three weeks ago. The tiger remains were picked from three spots in the village. Chowgule said they found seven nails, and three teeth. “A portion of the head, a front leg, and the thoracic parts were missing. The coccygeal vertebra, hind leg portion was there but the remains were completely decomposed. We could make out that it was an adult cat,” Chowgule said.


Jiss Varkey, deputy conservator of forest, was present during the postmortem examination. A team from the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Bengaluru, is expected to visit Goa. A forest official said that a specimen of the carcass has been retained in a sealed envelope for further investigation. “Now that the autopsy has been done, we will know how the tiger died,” he said.


A villager said that in the past two to three months domestic animals have gone missing. Since no carcass was found, villagers who lost their animals were unable to claim compensation from govt.