IDUKKI: It did not go as planned. The forest department’s attempt to dart and capture the elusive tiger that had been terrorising residential areas in Vandiperiyar panchayat for the past three weeks concluded on an unexpected note on Monday after a shot fired in self-defence ended up mortally wounding the aged and weak animal.
The incident took place in the morning. An eight-member forest team led by R Anuraj, the assistant forest veterinary officer of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR), and assistant forest veterinary officer (Kottayam division) N Anumod, under the guidance of wildlife veterinarian Arun Zachariah and chief wildlife warden Pramod G Krishnan, went to the location in Arnakkal estate area where the tiger was last spotted using drones.
The team, armed with guns, tranquillisers and protection gears, had been planning to dart the tiger which, Anuraj said, had avoided the three cages, including squeeze cages at three different locations, that the forest department had set up after it was first sighted three weeks ago.
“Though we were monitoring the tiger using the drone in the area, direct visibility was low as the animal was lying in the bushes. We shot the first tranquilliser at the tiger and waited 15 minutes for the sedative to take effect. Then, another shot was fired at close range,” Anuraj said.
That was when it happened. “The tiger lunged at us and struck the helmet of PTR veterinary wing staff Manu M J, who was standing beside me,” Anuraj said.
The tiger was gearing up to attack again when the team fired the 12-bore pump action gun. The bullet connected, and the tiger retreated and collapsed.
“Normally, and in the case of healthy animals, the 12-bore gun will not lead to death. However, since the tiger was weak, the shot is expected to have led to its death,” he said.
Kottayam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) N Rajesh said the officials killed the tiger in self defence. The autopsy of the tiger will be held at the PTR under the leadership of expert surgeons to ascertain the cause of death.
In the previous days, after the tiger managed to avoid capture, forest officials from the Erumeli range along with the rapid response team and veterinary doctors from the PTR and Kottayam division had started observing its movements at the Gramby estate as well as its bait selection using thermal drones.
The department had tried to tranquillise the tiger on Saturday and Sunday, but it remained elusive. On Sunday night, the tiger attacked a cow and pet dogs at Arnakkal estate around 2.30am.
“The tiger attacked only small animals. Its pug marks indicate it had an injury on its left hind leg. It was too weak to pounce on its prey and hence attacked a dog and its two puppies last night,” Anuraj said.
Forest officials said Jeny, the sniffer dog from the PTR that assisted them during their operation on Sunday, had indicated that the tiger had moved to the Arnakkal estate area, prompting the team to focus their attention there.
Meanwhile, forest officials confirmed the pug marks found at different areas in Vandiperiyar belonged to the dead tiger.
“Usually, a tiger suffering from severe lung diseases or one that is injured comes out of the forest looking for easy prey. The dead tiger was too weak and had many injuries on its body. Such animals normally attacks pet animals or cattle,” said an official.
Considering the possibility that the tiger may become aggressive and attack humans, the Idukki district collector had issued a prohibitory order in ward 15 of Vandiperiyar panchayat on Monday.