Kerala: Forest Dept Begins Operation To Shoot And Kill Man-Eating Tiger In Wayanad

Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran said steps have been initiated to shoot and kill the animal, which has been classified as a man-eater.

A Wayanad resident is suspected to have been killed by the tiger while collecting grass for his cattle. ( Image Source :Pixabay )

Kerala has decided to shoot and kill a man-eater Tiger who was responsible for the death of a man in Wayanad a few days ago. Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the tiger responsible for killing a man in Wayanad a few days ago has been identified as a 13-year-old male tiger (WWL 45) in the forest department's database on Thursday.

Saseendran said steps have been initiated to shoot and kill the animal, which has been classified as a man-eater.

On December 9, the body of Prajeesh, a Vakeri resident, was discovered in a half-eaten state near a forest area in Kalpetta of Wayanad. The man is suspected to have been killed by the tiger while collecting grass for his cattle.

Residents have accused the tiger of being a man-eater, leading to demands for authorities to eliminate the big cat. Minister Saseendran revealed that the Chief Wildlife Warden has authorized the shooting of the tiger, and the animal is currently under intensive surveillance, monitored by 25 cameras with two cages prepared for the operation.

Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, the minister disclosed the deployment of five patrol teams, including shooters and doctors in the area. He urged the public to cooperate with the measures enforced by officials.

The minister's statement comes in the wake of the Kerala High Court dismissing a plea challenging the government's directive to shoot the tiger if capturing or tranquilizing it proves unsuccessful. Minister Saseendran welcomed the court's decision, highlighting that the petition seemed more for publicity than genuine public interest. The court imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner organization, Animals and Nature Ethics Community (ANEC).

On Thursday, Uttarakhand HC took suo motu cognisance of Forest Department's permission to kill an unidentified man-eater big cat in the vicinity of Bhimtal.