Four tigers found roaming in tea plantation near Ooty

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Tea pickers fled in panic after spotting four tigers roaming in a tea estate adjacent to Mynala village near Ooty in the Nilgiris district. Initially suspecting that the animals were leopards, the workers recorded a video on a mobile phone. However, upon zooming in on the footage, they were shocked to realize that the animals were tigers. The tigers, which had been walking single file through the tea plantation, eventually settled down in a spot. Later, they retreated into the forest area. After the footage of the tiger emerged on Friday, panicked villagers appealed to the forest department to commence surveillance operations in the area and ensure the safety of the local community. Forest ranger Ramprakash stated, "We have received a video showing tigers roaming in the Mynala area, which falls under the Ooty north forest range. It appears to be a single family unit — a mother tiger accompanied by her offspring. The tigers are currently confined to the tea plantations situated adjacent to the forest area. There is no likelihood of them straying into the residential areas of the village." He stated that forest department personnel were engaged in increased surveillance activities in the area.