A tigress that triggered panic among local residents at Pallivayal, near Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad, after it strayed into human habitations, was captured from the Vadakkanad forest around 5 a.m. on Saturday.
The animal walked into a trap set up by forest personnel at a coffee plantation in the Kurichiyad forest range under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), where it was sighted on Friday evening. The forest team was led by P. Dhaneshkumar, WWS Warden.
The big cat, estimated to be around eight years old, was shifted with the cage to the office of the Warden, nearly 5 km away. A team of veterinarians led by Forest Department surgeon Jijimon examined the animal and administered first aid.
Wound on abdomenChief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife, Palakkad) Pramod G. Krishan, who supervised the operation, told The Hindu that the animal had a wound, infested with maggots, on the lower abdomen, which might have led the animal to prowl the villages adjacent to the sanctuary. It might have suffered injuries in a territorial fight with another tiger, Mr. Krishan said.
He said it was decided to transfer the animal to the Lion Safari Park under the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thiruvananthapuram.
Squeeze cage facility“The department is planning to treat the animal utilising the squeeze cage facility at the park as a surgery after tranquilizing will be risky in view of its poor health condition,” Mr. Krishan said.
