Wayanad: The mystery over the discovery of carcasses of one-year-old tiger cubs has been sold a day after they were found in Wayanad on Wednesday. The Special Investigation Team of the forest department said the animal instincts of a male tiger led to the klilling of the one-year-old cubs.

In a communique, the SIT said female tigers with young cubs normally reject the advances of male tigers during mating season. The males usually turn their anger towards the cubs to keep them away from the females. The forest team felt the three cubs might have also faced the same fate. 

The seven-member SIT oversaw the necropsy of the carcasses of three young tigers at Sulthan Bathery on Thursday and also examined the occurrence spots as part of the investigation. 

Carcasses of the two tiger cubs, one male and one female, were found in the Thathoor forest section of the Kurichiad Forest Range under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The carcass of another young tiger was found at the coffee plantation of Poddar Plantation Group at Odathode near Kalpetta.

SIT said cubs had suffered multiple injuries on their necks and body. "Prima facie, the injuries appeared to be caused by the attack of another tiger," the communique noted.  

The cause of the death of the male tiger was the vertebral fracture and severing of the spinal cord, while the cause of death of the female was a skull fracture and injury to the brain. Both indicate the attack of another tiger. Bite marks of the tiger also were seen during the post-mortem examination. 

"Such attacks on young cubs by adult male tigers during mating season are common in many feline species, including tigers," the communique said.