Mysore/Mysuru: The female tiger, separated from its mother and attempting to establish territory near the Mysuru border, is on the move, prompting the Forest Department to adjust its operation based on pug marks.

The 18-month-old female tiger cub has posed a challenge for the Forest Department, having been spotted in Chikkakanya, Doddakanya, Byathahalli and Sinduvalli regions for the past 20 days. Initially hiding in a sugarcane field in Doddakanya for about 10 days, the tiger cub is now migrating through Doddakanya to Dadadahalli, Kongananjayyanahundi, an abandoned agricultural field and a coconut farm in Beeregowdanahundi.

Forest personnel, responding to sightings, conducted a combing operation, discovering pug marks confirming the tiger’s movement. Despite deploying drone cameras, the capture operation has been delayed due to the tiger frequently changing its hiding place.

The tiger cub, born in a reserve forest, is unfamiliar with the challenges of the forest area and has been preying on small animals in villages near the forest border, earning the nickname                                ‘Urban Tigress.’ 

The Forest staff, working day and night, use the Wildlife Advance Alert System (WAAS) to alert villagers about the tiger’s presence, emphasising the importance of preventing rumours and taking action against those spreading them.

The tiger is actively evading detection in a game of hide and seek, moving within the same area without being visually spotted despite being captured on camera. Teams are diligently working to tranquillise the animal upon sighting and facilitate its relocation, officers said. 

The capture is anticipated soon; the tiger’s swift movements suggest its agility. Importantly, there have been no incidents of cattle kill or attacks on humans since the tiger was initially spotted in the vicinity. Forest officials are employing bait to attract and tranquillise the tiger for a                           safe relocation.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Mysuru Circle) Dr. Malathi Priya, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. K.N. Basavaraju, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) N. Lakshmikanth, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Surendra, and senior Forest Officers are actively involved in the tiger capture operation on-site.