KOZHIKODE: The
forest department
is set to wind up the extensive
search operations
to capture the injured
tiger
at
Kurukkanmoola
in
Wayanad
.
The decision has been made on the presumption that the tiger, which had suffered a serious snaring injury in the neck, has moved away from human habitation and is not likely to return.
Wayanad had over the last two weeks witnessed an unprecedented mobilization of personnel and resources by the forest department to capture the injured tiger which killed as many as 16 domestic animals.
Over 200 department staff,
kumki elephants
, two darting teams, apart from drones and five trap cages were deployed for the operation.
The department has now decided to wind up the search as there has been no livestock depredation in Kurukkanmoola and nearby areas for the last 10 days and no presence of the tiger had been recorded in the area despite deploying around 70 camera traps up to 5km inside the forests.
State chief
wildlife warden
has directed to immediately remove the five trap cages from the area as it could attract other tigers and leopards from the forests, leading to fresh conflicts.
“The operation needs to be wound up as no immediate conflict is presumed and the staffs are required to attend to other important duties like preparation for the coming fire season,” chief conservator of forests, northern circle, Kannur, Vinod Kumar D K, said in a letter to the Wildlife Warden, Wayanad, dated December 27.
It has, however, been directed that necessary arrangements may be made for responding to any conflict issues in the future by designating a response team.
“Monitoring of tiger presence in the vicinity may be continued for some more time using camera traps,” the letter said.
South Wayanad divisional forest officer A Sajna said that the monitoring committee constituted as per NTCA guidelines will meet on Tuesday and assess the situation and submit its recommendation.