KANNIYAKUMARI: A tiger on the prowl has been captured by a team of 17 forest officials, including a veterinary doctor. “The rescue operation, KMT 9, is a remarkable achievement due to the limited resources, equipment, and manpower,” said Kanniyakumari DFO M Ilayaraja on Sunday. The tiger was captured on Wednesday and shifted to Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai a day later.
According to Ilayaraja, the residents of the Ceylon Colony in Chithar sent an alert to the DFO on July 3 that one of the goats in the locality was killed by a wild animal. Kaliyal Range forest staff reached the spot and found pug marks of a tiger. Compensation was given to the goat owner.
After five days, the tiger entered the Ceylon Colony again and tried to hunt a cow. Upon hearing the noise, the owner came out. The tiger fled the scene injuring the man and the cow. The DFO held inquiries with the residents and the cow owner, following which a sniffer dog ‘Adithya’ was brought to the location to trace the tiger. “The number of camera traps was increased to 20. An awareness meeting was conducted for residents of the Ceylon colony. Principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden gave permission to trap the tiger by placing cages and tranquillise it,” said Ilayaraja.
The cages were fixed at two locations based on the tiger’s movements. However, the tiger killed a goat in Mookkaraikkal Kani tribal settlement on July 14. On the same day, it attacked a cow in the vicinity. After four days, it returned to Ceylon Colony and killed four goats and injured one. The hunt came to a halt after that for 20 days. When the team noticed the tiger’s movements again, an experienced set of officials from Mudhumalai Tiger Reserve was deployed. The team set up two more cages waiting for the tiger’s next move.
In the night hours of August 7, the tiger reappeared at Orunooramvayal tribal settlement and killed two goats. Its movements were tracked and a camera trap was installed. However, the tiger went to another house in the same settlement and killed two more goats at around 3 am. Ilayaraja said, “Compensations were given to the goat owners the next day. Trapping cages were shifted to the new spot and two teams were formed comprising a veterinary doctor, trackers from Muthumalai Tiger Reserve, and Kanniyakumari Forest Division staff. The teams carried out an intensive search in the nearby areas.”
On August 9, the team spotted the tiger in a cave near Kallaraivayal tribal settlement around 1.20 pm. Taking the chance to tranquilise the tiger, the veterinary doctor fired a dart at it. The tiger managed to escape it and went into hiding. The team analysed the terrain and made suitable arrangements. “The team managed to find an opening on the other side of the cave.
Two darts were shot at the tiger. It didn’t miss this time. The tiger was taken out of the cave and examined,” the DFO said. The tiger was found to be a male aged around 14 years. It was weak and anaemic. In order to provide further medical care, the tiger was shifted to Arignar Anna zoological park in Chennai.