The tiger said to be a female aged seven years, bore injuries, and authorities stated that the exact cause of death would only be confirmed after a detailed postmortem examination.
Published Jan 27, 2025 | 11:04 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 27, 2025 | 11:05 AM
Kerala Forest Department finds man-eating tiger dead in Wayanad.
The man-eating tiger that had terrorised Pancharakolli and nearby areas in Wayanad was found dead on Monday, 27 January, in the Pilakavu region during an extensive search operation led by the Kerala Forest Department’s task force.
Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran confirmed the tiger’s death and commended the department for its tireless efforts in locating the animal. The tiger is responsible for the recent death of a woman and the attack on a Forest Department official.
The tiger said to be a female aged seven years, bore injuries, and authorities stated that the exact cause of death would only be confirmed after a detailed postmortem examination. Officials suspect that the tiger might have lost her life following a conflict with another tiger.
On Sunday, Saseendran had announced that the tiger would be officially classified as a man-eater and euthanised. Following the death of the tiger, the Wayanad district administration has withdrawn the curfew it enforced in the Pancharakolly, Pilakkavu and Chikkara areas.
While the discovery has brought relief to residents who had been living in fear, Saseendran stressed that the Forest Department’s mission did not end there.
He announced that inspections would continue in other areas where tiger activity has been reported adding that special operations are being planned to ensure public safety and address any lingering concerns.
The minister also urged for broader community involvement in addressing human-wildlife conflicts.
“The forest department cannot solve such issues alone. People’s representatives and the public must work together. Wildlife protection requires mass support,” he said, adding that negative perceptions of the department, rooted in past experiences, need to change for effective solutions,” Saseendran said.
“The death of the tiger marks the end of a tense period for residents, but officials emphasise that vigilance and coordinated efforts remain essential in mitigating future conflicts,” he added.
It is said that when the Forest Department personnel spotted it, the tiger was in critical condition. However, by time the they intimated Kerala’s Chief Veterinary Surgeon Dr Arun Zachariah and his team about the tiger, it lost its life.
The tiger had deep wounds on its neck and multiple injuries. Even though the Rapid Response Team (RRT) spotted the tiger on Sunday night, they couldn’t tranquillize or kill it. Later, when they launched a thorough search to locate it, the tiger was found dead.
It was also found eating chicken waste. It is said that the tiger attacked humans since it was too weak to hunt for other prey, and that it resorted to consuming chicken waste when its health further deteriorated.
On Sunday, Saseendran had acknowledged the rising frequency of wildlife-related deaths and emphasised the need for a revision of existing wildlife laws to address these emerging challenges more effectively.
To bolster safety in wildlife-prone regions, both the Forest and Police Departments will ramp up surveillance efforts. A significant step in this initiative includes the deployment of artificial intelligence-based surveillance cameras in high-risk zones.
By 1 February, 100 AI cameras will be installed in Wayanad, with plans to expand the network to 400 cameras across the state by 31 March.
Radha, wife of Achappan from Tharatt Unnathi, Pilakkavu, was tragically killed by the tiger near Tharatt Unnathi in the Thalapuzha Forest Station area of the Begur Forest Range on 24 January.
Her partially eaten body was discovered by the Thunder Bolt team of the Kerala Police, approximately 100 meters from human habitation.
According to the Chief Conservator of Forests, Northern Circle, Kannur, KS Deepa, the victim was attacked and dragged into the forest by the tiger, as evidenced by pug marks, blood stains, and the location of her footwear. The tiger was later spotted near the site by a forest watcher after the body was removed.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar.)
