Shifted to Koorgalli Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru

Chamarajanagar: A tiger, which had killed a farmer, who had gone to his agriculture field to collect fodder for his cattle, has been captured by the Forest Department yesterday early morning.

The tiger, aged about five to six years, was tranquillised, rescued and was shifted to Chamundi Wild Animals Rescue Rehabilitation and Conservation Breeding Centre at Koorgalli in Mysuru.

On Sept. 14 evening, farmer Basavanna of Badagalapura village had gone to the agriculture field at Survey No. 78 in Sannegala village to get fodder to his cattle when the tiger pounced on him, killed him and devoured parts of his body.

On Sept. 15, the Forest Department personnel conducted a combing operation to trace and capture the killer tiger besides installing camera traps surrounding the incident spot and had also placed a cage in the agriculture field.

Domesticated elephants from Dubare Elephant Camp, Kanjan and Eshwara, were brought and a combing operation was also conducted. Also, sniffer dogs, Bhoomi and Bhanu, were brought from BRT Tiger Reserve for the combing operation. Two thermal drones were also deployed and 65 Forest staff and officials and tribals, who are well-versed with the forest region, began to conduct combing operations.

After conducting combing operations continuously for 11 days, the Forest staff got confirmed that the tiger was wandering on the outskirts of Tavarekatte Mole village. They then brought the domesticated elephants, conducted an operation and were successful in tranquillising the tiger, much to the relief of villagers.

After the tiger was placed inside the case, it was examined by the veterinarians and found that the tiger was stable and healthy. It was later shifted to Koorgalli Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru, said BRT Director and Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) B.S. Sripathi.