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| Combing operations for the elusive tiger will be called off by the department (Photo | Special arrangement) |
Forest department tracks identity of alleged man-eating tiger prowling across Kodagu
The department recovered CCTV footage in Belluru village, which confirmed it to be a male tiger. Further investigation into the footage has now revealed the identity of the male tiger.
MADIKERI: The tiger that is suspected to have claimed two human lives in Kodagu has been identified as the 13U285 male that migrated from Kallala forest range of Nagarhole and is approximately 10 to 11 years old.
Just two days ago, the forest department succeeded in tracking the movement of the elusive tiger that is claimed to be the man-eater. The department recovered CCTV footage in Belluru village, which confirmed it to be a male tiger. Further investigation into the footage has now revealed the identity of the male tiger.
In the 2013 tiger census, the forest department had caught CCTV footage of a male tiger, then aged approximately 3 to 4 years. The recent CCTV footage of the claimed man-eater matched the identity of the census marked 13U285 tiger as confirmed by sources.
An expert veterinary doctor in Srimangala has analysed that the tigress captured in Manchalli village might not be the one that claimed two human lives. “The jaw marks on the dead bodies of the humans and the cattle are the same. The tiger that is claiming lives of the cattle is the one that has killed two humans,” said Dr BG Girish, Srimangala Animal Husbandry Medical Officer. He added that the tigress which was captured on February 21 by the department had right shoulder injuries, making it an inefficient hunter let alone a man-eater.
Meanwhile, the department is changing strategies to capture the elusive tiger even as the number of staff equipped for the job is being cut. While 150 staff were posted for the mission, this number will be reduced drastically and combing operations will be stopped. Instead, sharpshooters will survey the affected areas and take measures to tranquilize the tiger when spotted.
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