Chief Wildlife Warden G. Harikumar has ordered a detailed inquiry into the circumstances that led to the death of a tiger in Chedalayath range of forest under the South Wayanad forest Division on October 13.
A three-member committee comprising D. Jaya Prasad, Chief Conservator of Forests, Northern Region; P.S Easa, Member, National Wildlife Board and C.K Vishnudas, Researcher and Wildlife Biologist, National Centre for Biological Sciences, has been constituted for the purpose and the team has been directed to submit a detailed report within a month.
The mandate of the committee is to investigate what situation/circumstances led to the death of the tiger and to come out with suggestions and precautions to be taken in similar situation, in future to avoid such incidents.
The wounded male tiger, aged about seven years, succumbed to injuries during a rescue operation at a coffee plantation at Ezhpathimoonnu Kattunayakka tribal colony, Cheeymbam near Pulpally in the district. Though the animal was tranquilized by using darts for treatment , it succumbed to injuries within 30 minutes of the dart hitting it.
An autopsy performed by a team of experts from the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University led by Shyam K. Venugopal, Professor and Head, Department of Surgery ,College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, found that the animal was septicemic owing to a compound fracture on its right hind leg. Multiple injuries were also found on it that was suspected to have occurred during a territorial fight with another big cat.
