NILGIRIS: The number of cages that has been kept for capturing the aged tiger, which is suspected of killing a 65-year-old tribal woman at the Singara forest range in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) last month, has been increased to four from three.
Meanwhile, officials of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) listed out various steps it had taken so far to catch it after locals claimed the they noticed an aged tiger walking inside the bushes near a private school on Wednesday. "Soon after the information about the tiger movement, our team visited the spot and enquired with the locals. We have also asked them to avoid venturing outside the house unnecessarily and approaching near the bushes," said a forest department official.
Forest department sources say instructions have been given to the people of Singara to avoid venturing near the forest boundaries. Also, 29 camera traps have been fixed within 3 kilometres of the place near Mavanallah village where B Nagiyammal, who was grazing goats, was killed on November 24.
M G Ganesan, Deputy Director of MTR, said on Wednesday, "Based on requests from the local people and to ensure their safety, we have placed cages to capture the tiger. Four teams headed by the Singara forest range officer have been formed, and the members have been tracking the tiger using a drone both night and day."
According to forest department sources, the tiger had attempted to kill two cows 300 metres from the place where Nagiyammal was killed, and despite information given to the people to avoid grazing goats and cows, few of them are letting out their cows. However, the cows were sent back safely.
Excluding November 25, a day after the tribal was killed, no confirmed sightings of the tiger have been recorded in the camera traps.
Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra has given the nod to capture the tiger. A team has been formed to carry out the process as per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines.