A tiger, suspected to have been chased out of its habitat after a territorial fight with another male, was tranquilised and captured in Hediyala bordering Bandipur National Park, on Sunday.
The nine year old big cat had entered Chilkahalli village that is about two km from the forest. It tracked and killed a cow belonging to Chinnappa who alerted the Forest Department on Saturday. Though combing operations were launched immediately and camera traps placed, they were disbanded in the evening. On Sunday, the authorities – with additional guards and police – launched the second round of combing operations and found pug marks. The operation commenced around 11 a.m. and in an hour, the tiger was sighted in a cotton field within the village limits and close to Kalikatte Kere.
Veterinarian Nagaraju tranquilised the animal. Ambadi Madhav, Conservator of Forests, said the tiger had sustained severe injuries on its head, face and shoulders, and though its canines were intact, it was unable to hunt or even eat. It appeared emaciated and had not consumed anything for almost a week. Though it had killed a cow, it was unable to eat it, he added.
The operation was completed within an hour and adequate police personnel were deployed to discourage people from crowding at the site. The tiger was later shifted to the Chamundi Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at Koorgalli on the outskirts of the city for treatment. It is under observation.