The tiger that attacked and killed a 10-year-old boy at Kallahatti village in H.D. Kote taluk on Monday was identified after its images were captured by camera traps set up in the area, on Friday evening.
The tiger used to dominate the areas bordering Metikuppe and Veeranahosahalli, and the authorities also tracked its pug marks in and around the fields and the place where a bait was placed to lure it in the Metikuppe range.
C. Harshakumar, Director, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, said that there were no other tigers in the vicinity and hence the possibility of another tiger in the same area was ruled out. Nevertheless, the Forest Department will collect the scat of the tiger and send it for laboratory analysis to ascertain if there are human traces. If confirmed, then it would be a scientific corroboration that the tiger was indeed the one that killed the boy.
For four days the department were groping in the dark in the absence of any tell-tale evidence of the tiger’s presence in the vicinity. But having secured the camera-trap image and pug marks the combing operation in and around the village will be intensified.
Elephants Arjuna, Bheema, and Ashwathama are scouring the forest and nearly 100 department staff have been deployed for the operation to capture the tiger which was elusive so far. More than 50 pairs of camera traps have been installed and though the tiger proved to be elusive for four days, its image was finally captured on Friday evening.
A thermal drone is also being used to monitor the area from the sky but its usage has been reduced due to intermittent rains since the last few days. The operations will resume from dawn on Saturday.
