Forest Department personnel were unable to find the scat of the tiger that was caught at Chikkabaragi to ascertain whether the wild cat had actually consumed human flesh.
To dispel lingering confusion on whether or not the tiger, named Shiva, is a man-eater, Mysore zoo authorities had originally wanted it’s scat collected from the forest where it was caught.
The tiger is currently housed at the zoo and is being treated for injuries. The tiger’s scat was collected at the zoo itself and will be sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, on Monday for a DNA test, according to B.P. Ravi, zoo executive director.
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“It would have been better if we had got the scat samples from the area where the animal had killed three persons (in H.D. Kote taluk). We are not much hopeful of results from the scat collected at the zoo, since the tiger’s third and last kill was on December 3. It must have defecated before and after it was caught. The tiger was brought to the zoo 72 hours ago, and the samples collected here will be used for the analysis,” Mr. Ravi told
On Saturday, Shiva made an attempt to break free from the extra-strong iron enclosure, though the attempt was not as powerful as the one made on Thursday night. Two iron railings got bent when the agitated tiger rammed against the enclosure.
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“There is still aggression in the tiger. It even damaged a wooden plank. Though it stays calm most of the time, it becomes aggressive on seeing human beings,” Mr. Ravi.
He said the infection the tiger developed due to injuries had not entirely subsided. Blood tests were conducted on Friday. The authorities removed a porcupine quill from the tiger’s chin and maggots from a wound in the right paw.
Mr. Ravi said the tiger’s food intake had improved. It was eating about 12 kg of beef daily, he said.