All the villages surrounding the Doddabetta forest range in Ooty in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu wear a deserted look by 5 pm since the beginning of the new year. Three people (including two women) were killed by a tigress of six to seven years of age during the last fortnight.
People rush to get back home much before sunset as they are worried over the two eyes watching them from either behind shrubs or thick bushes. More than 50 state-of-the-art cameras installed at various vantage points in the region have captured the images of a tigress on the prowl. Two units of the elite Special Task Force and a dozen veterinarians are working round the clock tracking the tigress, which has succeeded in remaining elusive.
Though the locals have termed it as a man-eater, forest officials and ecologists are divided over the claim. “Just because it killed three human beings, we cannot brand it a man-eater and order its killing,” Subbiah Bharatidasan, environmentalist and wildlife activist, told The Pioneer.
He said the animal could have lost its way and has come out of exclusive territory in search of food. “Since it has not eaten the bodies of the people it killed, I do not accept the contention that it is a man-eater. It might have attacked and killed the persons because of shock or out of fear,” said Bharatidasan.
According to forest officials, the tigress might have come from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. “One of the pictures we have from Mudumalai matches well with this tigress. It could also be from the Segur plateau adjoining Doddabetta, which is the most ideal location for tigers. The spots, where the tigress is believed to have killed the human beings, are15 km away from Segur,” said a senior wildlife official.
Though there were reports about forest officials hiring the services of Shafat Ali Khan, who describes himself as a professional killer, it was cancelled following a public outcry. Khan, a resident of Nilgiris has killed many tigers and leopards, the recent one being in Himachal Pradesh much to the shock of wildlife activists.
“There is no need to kill any wild animals in the name of saving human beings. Not a single wild animal, whether it is tiger, leopard or lion, would harm human beings unless the animal feels insecure. We have the capability and expertise to tranquilise and tame any ferocious wild animals,” said Dr TCR Nambiar, chief veterinary officer, Guruvayur Devaswom in Kerala.
Aadhaan, a wildlife guide at Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Kerala, who is also a tribal from the dense jungles, said the animals, especially tigers and leopards get upset when they feel disturbed in their dwelling places. “If you come across a tiger, all you have to do is to ignore it and walk your way. This is what I have been taught by my forefathers by word of mouth. The animals leave their dwelling places only when they find it difficult to get preys, said Aadhaan.
He said no tiger or leopard from the Parambikulam Reserve comes out in search of food. “We are strict with visitors to the reserve and keep round-the-clock vigil over the reserve for animal poachers. This has helped in sustaining the number of deers, boars and wild gaurs in this forest,” said Aadhaan.
The tiger is held up in an abandoned tea estate in the region. “There are many abandoned tea estates in the periphery of the Doddabetta forest. The Government should leave them as such since they may help the tigers get new exclusive territories. No human settlements should be allowed here,” said Bharatidasan.
Kovai Sadasivan, naturalist, said the recent killings by the tigress is a fall out of the shrinking forests in the region. “We have a zone named Tiger Hills. The entire domain belonged to the tigers. But over the years, human settlements and killing of wild animals in the name of sport has threatened the existence of the animals,” said Sadasivan.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who is camping in nearby Kodanad retreat is believed to be monitoring the operations. She has sent word not to harm the animal and also to ensure the safety of the locals.
Ananth Ganeshan, principal of Sri Krishna Higher Secondary School at Pollachi town in Coimbatore district has activated a ham radio network to issue alert to all concerned about the movement of the tigress. lakshmi Narayanan, Chief Wildlife Warden, who leads the operation to capture the tigress, told The Pioneer that the animal would not be harmed come whatever may. “We will catch the animal alive and leave it back to its exclusive domain in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve,” he said. There are people, like Ganeshan and Bharatidasan, who are offering special poojas in temples in the region for the safety of the locals as well as the tigress.
