Gonikoppa: Yet another tiger was found dead in Gonikoppa area on Sunday. The shocking fact is that this is the fifth case of tiger death over the last ten days in the state.

A carcass of a nine to 10-year-old tiger was found near Lakshmanatheertha river of Nittur in Gonikoppal and from an outset it seems that the tiger had died of injuries.

As per veterinary doctor, the tiger may have been injured in a bid to eat a porcupine and when the injuries worsened, the tiger may have starved as it could not hunt down preys.

It may be recalled that a tiger had launched a deadly attack on Kariya, a plantation worker on Friday, January 20 in Gonikoppa. The forest officials had launched a search operation in Gonikoppa area but all efforts went in vain. The forest officials now say that Kariya may have been attacked by the same tiger as eyewitnesses claim that even that tiger had injuries on its face.

First tiger death was reported this year on January 4. A tigress was found dead in DB Kuppe forest rangein Nagarahole. This was followed by another death on January 13 in Bannerghatta Biological Park. On January 16, a tigress died owing to overdose of tranquiliser while it was captured in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.

On January 18, a tiger was rescued from a trap in Nittur, but it succumbed to injuries in Koorgalli Animal Rehab Centre.