COIMBATORE: Forest officials have set up two cages to capture and treat a five-year-old male adult tiger that was spotted roaming with injuries suspected to have been caused by a snare at the Tiruppur division of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).
“If needed, the animal will be tranquillised for treatment as per the SOP of the National Tiger Conservation Authority,” a senior official said.
The injured tiger was spotted a few days ago on camera traps placed to keep track of wild animals in forest areas.
Sources said the injury could have occurred a few weeks ago after the big cat got caught in a snare suspected to have been placed by poachers to kill spotted deer or wild boars for their meat. Tragically, the wire (foreign material) has also intruded into the lower back part of the tiger’s body affecting its mobility, sources said.
Forest officials have now installed over 40 additional camera traps to monitor the movement of the animal. About 65 staffers of three forest ranges of Amaravathy, Kozhumam, and Vandaravu have also been deployed to trace the big cat and the suspects who may have set up the snare on farm lands.
‘Snare may not have injured big cat’
A senior official of the ATR, however, said the injury may not be because of a snare.
“If the animal got injured in a snare, it would be in big trouble. We suspect that a steel fence, which was being used in nearby farm lands and which may not be as strong as a snare, could have pierced through the tiger’s body and injured him. We have set up two cages in the forest range for capturing the tiger, and once the tiger lands in the cage, we will remove the snare,” the official said.
The official said the wound in the tiger’s body seems to be healing. “The tiger may be stationed along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. We suspect the incident could have happened in Kerala. The tiger had visited Tiruppur division only last year and in May this year, and before that, the animal’s images were recorded only on the Kerala side,” said a senior official of ATR.
PCCF Project Tiger Rakesh Kumar Dograh confirmed that the animal is injured, and if needed, it will be tranquillised for its welfare.