The nine-year old tigress that gave forest officials and the residents of Neyyar a sleepless night after escaping from its cage the previous day was finally captured on Sunday after an elaborate combing operation spread across the 10-acre Lion Safari Park.
The animal, which had been captured from Pulpally in Wayanad few days ago, had fled from the enclosure in the park on Saturday. Ever since, the forest officials had been kept on tenterhooks with the perimeter of the park being reinforced to prevent the animal’s escape.
Bringing claims that it could have leapt into the Neyyar reservoir to a naught, the tigress was spotted at least four times during the early hours of the day near the periphery and a cage that was set up for its capture. A goat that was kept as bait was somehow left undevoured by the animal.
Soon, a combing operation was launched under the supervision of Conservator of Forests (Agasthyavanam Biological Park) J. Devaprasad and led by Thiruvananthapuram Wildlife Warden J.R. Ani, Flying Squad DFO Justin Stanley and forest veterinary officer Arun Zachariah.
Three teams of 10 foresters and veterinarians each perambulated various parts of the park. While a squad spotted the animal, it panicked and ran towards the cage, despite being visibly exhausted. As the tigress soon found refuge in a bamboo clump, the forest officials fired a 0.303 blank cartridge to drive the animal out.
It was finally sedated using a tranquiliser dart by around 1.30 p.m., following which it was secured in a net and later accommodated in a treatment cage. The foresters have reinforced the cage to prevent another escape, Mr. Ani said.
While it remained in a satisfactory condition, the tigress is finding it difficult to consume food owing to the root canal of its lower canine tooth being exposed. Following its treatment, the animal is likely to the shifted to the Puthur Zoological Park in Thrissur or a proposed asylum for animals in Wayanad.
Meanwhile, the Forest Department has launched an inquiry into the circumstances that had led to its escape.
