The tiger had killed 50-year-old Ratnamma, a resident of the Ballurhundi village, on 24 November when she had gone to graze her cattle.
Published Nov 28, 2023 | 6:55 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 28, 2023 | 6:56 PM
The tiger has been moved to Koorgalli Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru on Tuesday. (supplied)
Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) forest personnel captured an elusive tiger in the early hours on Tuesday, 28 November, after over 72 hours of running their operation.
The predator had killed 50-year-old Ratnamma, a resident of the Ballurhundi village, on 24 November when she had gone to graze her cattle.
In the aftermath of the fatal attack, the BTR forest personnel pressed into action leopard and elephant task forces to capture the tiger.
The forest officials also used at least 125 cameras — including GSM cameras — to ascertain the movement of the predator.
Forest Department sources said the staff had waited near a cage for the tiger to attack the cow kept inside as bait.
The forest vets tranquillised the tiger on Tuesday, and moved it to the Koorgalli Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru.
The forest personnel nabbed the tiger from Mysuru’s Najanagudu taluka. Besides Ratnamma, it had also attacked cattle in the surrounding areas.
The officials managed to track the movements of the tiger with camera traps set up in the region.
Bandipur Tiger Reserve Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) Dr P Ramesh Kumar told reporters: “The tiger was captured in one of our camera traps eating cattle meat near Kalarkandi of the Omkara-Hediala border zone on 27 November. We were keeping tabs on the tiger’s movements.”
After nearly 60 hours of operation, the @Bandipur_TR‘s forest personnel have successfully captured the #Tiger, which killed Ratnamma, near the Omkara and Hediala border zone at Kalarekandi in the wee hours on Tuesday.
The forest vets have tranquilized the predator & moved to… pic.twitter.com/e1iB9ERg01
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) November 28, 2023
He added: “Anticipating that the tiger would return to eat the meat, the department’s veterinary officers and staff hid near the place. When the tiger came to eat cattle meat in the early hours of Tuesday, the vets tranquillised the predator and trapped it.”
He also said: “The captured tiger was moved to the Koorgalli Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru. The tiger is in a good condition.”
In response to the fatal attack on Ratnamma Venkataiah, the Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Mysuru’s forest personnel initiated a comprehensive tiger capture operation on 25 November.
There was the immediate formation of multiple teams dedicated to tracking and capturing the tiger by the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
To ensure the effective monitoring of the tiger’s movements, 100 camera traps and 25 GSM cameras were strategically placed and two drones were being utilised to capture a photograph of the elusive predator, claimed forest officials.
Four teams were deployed to different locations within the Ballurhundi village and surrounding areas. The operation witnessed the collaboration of Mysuru’s Leopard Task Force (40 forest personnel) and Hunsur’s Elephant Task Force (40 personnel).
Special Task Force (STF), local staff, and around 100 tribals were also roped in for the operation, utilising departmental elephants and drones to track the tiger.
