Bhopal: A tigress was killed by another tigress over territorial fight in Madhya Pradesh`s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, officials said.
The carcass of the 9-year-old tigress Laxmi, who also had two cubs, was recovered from Salatekari area at Tala Range of the Reserve, in Umaria district yesterday, a top forest official said.
Laxmi was killed and eaten by another tigress named Kankati (4), after a possible fight over territory, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve`s Field Director C K Patil said, adding, Kankati had sustained an eye injury.
The forest guards yesterday saw Kankati eating the slain tigress, he said, adding, Laxmi and Kankati had fought in the past too.
This was probably the first instance of a tiger killing and eating someone of its own species in Bandhavgarh, spread over an area of 700 sq km in eastern Madhya Pradesh.