Maharashtra: It has been eight days since tigress Avni’s death and her 11-month-old cubs are still nowhere to be found. The officials have not been able to trace the cubs in the Pandharkawda forest area of Yavatmal district, Maharashtra. They are likely to face death from starvation.

Maharashtra forest department officials have said that they have left chunks of beef and bait animals such as goats for the cubs to eat and hunt, especially around the area that they were last seen around. However, no follow-up information has been provided by them. 

Avni’s post-mortem report shows that the tigress last hunted meal was about 4-5 days prior to her death. Hence, the cubs would have likely been starving for the past 12 days. When the approval to shoot the tigress was released, it was clearly mentioned that she be tranquilised first. This should have been followed up by capturing her cubs and then capture the mother.