LAHORE, Jan 9: A young Bengal tiger died at the Lahore Wildlife Park on Wednesday, creating unrest among officials amid conflicting claims about the cause of its death.Wildlife Park Deputy Director Shafqat says the tiger was found dead at the Safari on Wednesday evening. It did not have any wounds or scratches on its body. A year and eight months old, it was one of those three tigers which were born at the park.

Quoting doctors at the Veterinary Research Institute, he said the tiger died of a cardiac arrest. He, however, added that a snake might have bitten the tiger; something the doctors have been rejecting so far. A postmortem report would be issued in the next few days, he said.

“I have doubts that the tiger might have been bitten by a snake, but doctors’ early findings say it was a cardiac arrest.” As for the value (market price) of the tiger, he said: “In the wildlife department the price of a Bengal tiger is not determined.”

Sources, in the meantime, corroborated the claim that the tiger died of snake-bite. And it could be a cobra for blood was oozing out of the tiger’s ears, nose and rectum. They said the Safari and grounds were watered on the orders of Forest and Wildlife Secretary Suleman Azam and a snake looking for a dry place came out of its hideout and bit the tiger. (There are snakes in the wildlife park since it’s an open place and the Safari area has many thick bushes and plantation).

Speaking to Dawn, Mr Azam claimed he didn’t order watering the Safari and grounds, but added that “watering grounds is a normal process.” The secretary said the tiger might have been bitten by a snake, but it was an accident if it was so and watering the grounds was not the sole cause behind it. He said the park had been watered to do some plantation.

A wildlife expert, while giving his opinion on the request of anonymity, said: “In winters there is no need to water lawns and the Safari area for grass doesn’t turn green in this weather.” Had the grounds were not watered, this incident would not have taken place.

He said snake-bite seemed the obvious cause of the tiger’s death as “snakes come out of their hideouts because of watering.”