IDUKKI: In the wild, a cub tiger that cannot keep pace rarely survives. When Mangala was found abandoned as a two-month-old inside Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in 2020, her poor vision and paralysed hind leg had already placed her at a disadvantage. What followed was a rare case of prolonged human intervention: years of treatment, rehabilitation and attempts to prepare her for a life the forest could not offer.
The cub was first spotted on the premises of Mangala Devi temple—which lent her its name—by forest watcher Viswan. Initially, forest staff hoped her mother would return. It did not happen. Within two days, the cub had grown weak. “It was shifted to the rescue centre in the reserve and given immediate care,” said Anuraj, former assistant forest veterinary officer at PTR.
There, Mangala was administered medication and rehabilitation for her injured leg. “With regular treatment, the leg improved over time,” he said. Her eyesight, however, remained a concern. Doctors diagnosed cataract along with corneal opacity. Instead of opting for immediate surgery, a panel of experts decided to attempt treatment first. It started showing results.
At the same time, officials attempted to prepare the cub for a possible return to the wild by minimising human interaction and encouraging natural hunting behaviour.
“The cub was provided bait such as rabbits. It was interesting to watch her instinctively knock down the prey and go for the throat—typical hunting behaviour in tigers,” Anuraj recalled. Despite the improvements, later medical examinations concluded that Mangala’s vision could never be fully restored. Releasing her into the forest could make her vulnerable to attacks.
Surgery was found impractical due to the challenges of transporting the animal for treatment, post-operative care issues and the limitations artificial lenses could pose for a predator that relies on sharp vision to hunt. It was then decided to move Mangala to the Thrissur Zoological Park, in Puthur where she will live under managed care.
“In a managed environment, a tiger can live around 20-25 years. It will also have the opportunity to interact with other tigers and possibly breed,” said Anuraj.