The 16th day of the operation to trap the elusive tiger at the North Wayanad forest division continued to be futile as the wildcat managed to evade the forest trackers on Thursday.
The carnivore is believed to be have killed 16 domestic animals in Kurukkanmoola and adjacent areas under the Begur range of forest under the North Wayanad forest division in 16 days.
Five cages have been set up in the area to capture the tiger and 35 surveillance cameras are installed to monitor its movements. Forest and police officials are patrolling the area round the clock. The animal allegedly attacked a heifer calf and lifted a goat at Payyampally, nearly 3 km from Kurukkanmoola, in the early hours of Thursday.
An infuriated mob from the area detained a group of forest officials in the morning, demanding protection to their lives and property from wildlife attacks. They also demanded to change the strategy to capture the tiger.
Combing on
More than 120 forest personnel were engaged in the operation on Thursday and combing was on even late in the evening by following the pug marks. But the animal could not be tracked, D.K. Vinod Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, northern circle, Kannur, told The Hindu.
Six teams of experienced forest personnel, each comprising 30 members, would be drawn up from Kannur and Kozhikode districts to widen the search operations. They would comb suspected hideouts such as bushes, plantations and the forests on Friday, Mr. Vinod Kumar, who is supervising the operations, said. They would try to bring the tiger out of its hideouts.
“We are also planning to hire volunteers from local people, who are skilled in scaring operations, as a part of the strategy,” Mr. Vinod Kumar said. They would help the forest personnel in the operations, he said.
The services of senior officials experienced in managing conflict situations would be used, he said.
Meanwhile, Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran directed Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden Bennichan Thomas to coordinate the operations. Mr. Thomas was expected to reach the area on Friday evening.
