Man-eater tiger captured by forest department; Forest entry curbs in Wayanad continue
The 14-year-old male tiger has been identified as WL-48 of the wild life sanctuary. As per officials the tiger is suffering from serious health issues and is unlikely to be released back into the wild.
Wayanad: The Man-eater tiger that killed a 65-year-old Tribal Man was captured by the Forest department in the wee hours of the day.
The tiger fell into the trap laid at Hajiyar Kadavu in the Vandikkadavu forest region at 1:30 am today. The tiger was later shifted to the animal hospice and Palliative care unit under the wild life department in Sulthan Bathery.
Man-eater tiger was identified during the 2016 tiger census
Forest officials have confirmed that it was the same tiger that was involved in the fatal attack on Kooman alias Maran, a resident of the Devarghadha tribal settlement under the Vandikkadavu forest station limits on December 20.
According to the police, the tiger attacked him and dragged him deep into the forest during the early hours of the day. He later succumbed to the injuries while taken to the forest.
Following massive protests by residents, the chief wildlife warden issued an order to capture the tiger. The officials had placed the cage at the same place where the elderly man was attacked.
The tiger was first registered in the forest department’s database during the 2016 tiger census, while it was identified in the Sulthan Bathery forest range.
Its recent presence was first registered in early December when it lifted a buffalo calf grazing near the Cheeyambam forest zone, after which it was kept under the close observation of the forest department. Though the man-eater is trapped, the forest department has placed the Devarghadha forest region under high alert.