Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 18 (ANI): A tiger was trapped in a Forest Department cage at Silver Cloud in Gudalur, Nilgiris district, on Friday, bringing a temporary breakthrough to a massive, weeks-long operation launched after two fatal wildlife attacks.
Forest officials are assessing whether it is the same tiger that allegedly killed two people in O-Valley on August 8th and 21st.
In the O’ Valley–Lairston area near Gudalur, a tiger attacked and killed two people in August. Following the incident, residents staged protests demanding that the tiger be shot and captured.
Subsequently, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests issued formal directives authorising officials to capture the animal either by safely trapping it in a cage or through tranquilization.
Over the past 28 days, the Forest Department has intensified efforts to capture the tiger by installing automatic camera traps at more than 200 locations and setting up cages at 13 locations. More than 200 forest personnel, along with four kumki elephants and three drones, have been engaged round-the-clock in the operation.
Meanwhile, the tiger was trapped in a cage set up by the Forest Department in the Silver Cloud area. As the trapped tiger is behaving aggressively and growling inside the cage, forest officials are closely monitoring it.
Officials are also examining whether the trapped tiger is the same animal responsible for the deaths of the two people.
The Forest Department said further action would be taken based on the instructions of senior officials. (ANI)
Nilgiris forest officials trap tiger following fatal attacks, investigate connection to two deaths in Gudalur
