A tiger that had been causing panic among the workers of Arasu Rubber Corporation in Ceylon Colony near the Pechipparai dam for the past fifteen days has been caged successfully.
After cattle were hunted down by a predator near the dam, the workers of Arasu Rubber Corporation claimed that it was a tiger, and appealed to the Forest Department to cage the animal. Subsequently, two cages containing bait were kept in the area, and forest staff, armed with drones, were deployed to track the animal. As the authorities couldn’t capture the animal even after 15 days, the operation was suspended.
The predator then killed four goats at Paththukaani Nooraamvayal near Pechipparai, triggering panic yet again. A team led by District Forest Officer Ilaiyaraja visited the spot, and efforts to either cage or tranquilise the animal resumed. Along with the local forest personnel, a special team from Mudumalai was also deployed in the area. Three more cages were set up, and cameras were installed to track the animal.
Against this backdrop, forest veterinarian Manoharan tranquilised the tiger at Paththukaani near the Pechipparai dam on Wednesday when it was resting near a stream. Later, it was taken to the Zero Point of the dam.
“It is a 10-year-old male tiger, which is apparently suffering from some ailments. We are examining the tranquilised tiger,” sources in the Forest Department said.
