The carcass of a rare melanistic tiger was found in the core area of Similipal National Park in Odisha, a senior forest official said.

It was spotted by the Similipal south division staff at Badamakkabadi-ll beat area in Nawana, said Sushil Kumar Popli, the principal chief conservator of forests.

The exact reason for the death of the three-and-half-year-old male tiger is yet to be known, but it is suspected that the animal died during a fight with another big cat, he said on Monday.

The tiger's carcass bore scratch marks, which is indicative of a fatal fight, a forest official said.

Popli said that tigers after attaining three years of age mark out their own territory in the forest for which they often fight with other tigers.

“The exact cause of the death can be known after submission of the autopsy report,” he added.

The post-mortem examination of the animal was conducted on Monday in the presence of a representative of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, among others.

"The samples will be sent to the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology and the Wildlife Institute of India for analysis," Popli said.

The carcass was burnt after the post-mortem as per law.

Similipal National Park has 18 Royal Bengal Tigers of which eight or nine are of melanistic variety, officials said.

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