Another tiger captured near Gundlupet

Authorities of the Forest Department on Sunday captured another tiger in the Gundlupet sub-division of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

The tiger, which appeared to be weak, was found in a banana plantation at Survey No. 197 in Mukti Colony, near Gongalli village, in the Maddur range of the reserve. The animal was safely captured around 5 p.m. after being tranquillised.

The male tiger, estimated to be around five to six years old, looked sick at the time of capture. It has been shifted to the Maddur range office, where it is being kept under close observation by veterinary staff. Further instructions on its management are awaited from the higher authorities.

The operation was led by Bandipur Tiger Reserve Director S. Prabhakaran. Gundlupet Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Suresh K. and other forest officials were present during the operation.

A few days ago, forest officials captured a four-year-old male tiger from a barren land at Bommalapura village, near the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, also in the Gundlupet sub-division. That operation brought immense relief to villagers and farmers living in and around the Gundlupet buffer zone, who had been living in fear following repeated tiger sightings and incidents of livestock attacks.

Tiger sightings had been reported in Bommalapura, K.K. Hundi, Shivapura, Kodasoge, Hullepura, Devapura and surrounding villages, triggering panic among local residents. Forest authorities had advised villagers to clear overgrown shrubs and weeds in uncultivated fields, as such vegetation could serve as hiding places for wild animals. The authorities concerned were also requested to remove thick bushes and shrubs in vulnerable areas.