Forest watcher injured in tiger attack in Wayanad

At a plantation near Sulthan Bathery

A forest watcher of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary being shifted to the hospital following a tiger attack.

A forest watcher was injured in a tiger attack at Valluvadi, near Sulthan Bathery, in the district on Monday morning.

T. Karunakaran, 49, of Thoramangalam tribal settlement under the Kurichiyad forest range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, was attacked by a tiger at a private plantation near his settlement at Valluvadi.

The animal had killed several domestic animals recently. Two days ago it attacked two heads of cows of a farmer. While following the pugmarks of the tiger near a human settlement along with another watcher and a local person, the big cat attacked Mr. Karunakaran, sanctuary sources said.

The duo managed to escape. Mr. Karunakaran has been admitted to a private hospital here with a serious injury on his left leg, sanctuary sources said.

As per a directive of the Chief Wildlife Warden, the Forest and Wildlife Department on Monday evening set up a cage with a bait to capture the animal. The tiger could be ailing as it seemed too weak, the sources added.