Tigress episode exposes dearth of gadgets, drugs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The nearly-successful escape attempt by a tigress at the Neyyar Safari Park has exposed a serious dearth of infrastructure, gadgets, and supplies available with the Forest department. The district veterinarian did not even have a gun to dart the big cat with or the medicines to tranquillize it, after it was spotted on the park premises hours after it escaped from its cage. When such contingencies arise, the forest authorities are forced to bank on the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo for supplies.

When Thiruvananthapuram Zoo’s senior veterinary surgeon Dr Jacob Alexander, his deputy Dr R Vishnu, and Dr T Rajeev of the Elephant Squad, Thiruvananthapuram, were asked to help the Neyyar Safari Park authorities tranquillize the tigress on Saturday, they were caught unawares. The Safari Park officials had not made any contingency plans. Fortunately, the expert team carried all equipment, air-powered guns, and a combination of Xylazine and Ketamine to tranquillize the elusive tigress.

“With no shortage of wildlife institutions like the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, the Deer Park, the Neyyar Crocodile Park and more, the Thiruvananthapuram forest division is constantly tasked with rescue operations. It is high time that the department ensured there was no laxity from the side of its officials. The local populace has been already been pointing out that there was no need for a safari park at Neyyar,” said a veterinarian working with the animal husbandry department.

Currently, 17 veterinarians work under the Forest department in 12 districts. Wayanad, Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, and Thiruvananthapuram have two forest vets each. In 2004 the government purchased guns under Project Elephant scheme. The DFOs in Konni, Wayana d, and Thekkady had received the guns. A gun was priced at `75,000. Due to inflation, the price has since skyrocketed to `4.5 lakh. 

Three types of guns are primarily used by officials -- a capture gun which is very powerful, and a cartridge gun which is fired using gun powder without a cartridge, as well as with a cartridge. According to a senior forest official, these guns often turn faulty as they are sparingly used, and the medicines expire within two years. 

“The current arrangement is that the guns being used by the Elephant Squad on a regional basis can be used by the department as and when required. Similarly, if the medicines have expired, we cannot take the chance of using an old stock. The pandemic has affected the import of guns, and due to narcotic licence issues, the tranquilizing medicines are also not readily available,” said the forest officer.

Meanwhile, J R Ani, Thiruvananthapuram wildlife warden, told TNIE that Vyga, the tigress which attempted the escape, has calmed down after displaying bouts of aggression in her new enclosure. “Vyga was restless initially. So we put oil on the bars of her enclosure. It would ease the pain if she tried to bang her head on the walls. The preliminary report on the matter is most likely to be submitted to the state government on Wednesday. A comprehensive report by DFO flying squad K F Stanly Justin is also being prepared parallelly,” said Ani.