NILGIRIS: Despite trying all possible options, forest department officials are yet to capture the ‘man-eater’ tiger at Lauriston in Gudalur Forest Division. The animal, identified as a male aged between 8-10 years, remains elusive.
"Unlike operations to capture problematic wild elephants, tracking and capturing a tiger requires considerable time and patience. We believe that the tiger is healthy. Analysis of camera trap footage indicates that it is moving between the nearby Singara Forest Range in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Lauriston in O-Valley, under the Gudalur Forest Division," said District Forest Officer (DFO) P Devaraj.
"We have no other option but to continue all possible measures including patrolling with kumki elephants and field-level tracking teams, while searching for pugmarks and scat.
Though the animal has moved into the MTR, it could return any time. Based on its earlier movement pattern, the tiger used to shift its presence between these locations once every 10 to 15 days. We suspect that it came to Lauriston from Singara Forest Range," he said.
The tiger's last reported attack occurred on August 21, when it killed K Ravikumar (51) at Lauriston and consumed parts of his body. The possibility of the animal returning to the area in search of prey has raised concerns among forest officials and staff.
"The animal could have been hunting sambar or spotted deer, or it could be starving. A tiger can survive without food for up to 15 days. We are keeping people on high alert and creating awareness among them to prevent further human-tiger interactions," Devaraj said.
"We need a lot of patience to capture the tiger, and we could get an opportunity to trap it at any time in one of the 13 cages. Meat has been placed in one cage, while live goats have been placed in the remaining 12 cages to lure the tiger. We are also ready to sedate the animal if we get a suitable opportunity. We estimate that the tiger travels a minimum of five km and up to 20 km through the forest in a day," he said.
Despite dozens of forest personnel conducting foot patrols, the teams have not been able to spot the tiger directly, making the operation increasingly challenging.
"We have more than 15 armed personnel deployed. If the tiger charges at the staff, they will be prepared to shoot, if necessary. However, it will depend on the situation," Devaraj said.
