Tiger dies after getting ensnared in Gudalur

Investigations reveal that the animal got entrapped in a snare laid to trap wild game; the Forest Department has apprehended three suspects

A four-year-old tiger died after getting entrapped in a snare in a plot of land bordering the Chelukadi reserve forest in Gudalur forest range on Wednesday.

The Forest Department, in a statement, said that an investigation was conducted as per the protocols of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), and that a post mortem was conducted by the veterinary assistant surgeon from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the presence of Non-Governmental Organisations.

Divisional Forest Officer (Gudalur), Vengatesh Prabhu, said that based on their investigations, it was found that the animal got entrapped in a snare laid to trap wild game. It had tried to escape from the snare but had only managed to further entangle itself in the trap, eventually leading to its death.

Local land owners around the area and the residents were called in for questioning. When contacted, Mr. Prabhu said that three suspects were apprehended by the Department. “We have also received statements from local residents that the three men in our custody were the ones responsible,” he said, adding that the three men were local labourers.

The death of the tiger is the seventh instance where a tiger was killed due to unnatural causes and human activities in the Nilgiris since 2023. During this period, one tiger was poached, while five tigers died from poisoning in Gudalur and Nilgiris forest divisions and another was killed by a speeding car in Kotagiri.

Local conservationists called for stricter action against people laying snares to capture wild game, and more vigilance in interface zones surrounding forest areas could serve as deterrents in the future. “A number of these crimes have also gone undetected, such as the case where a leopard was killed in Kotagiri, and in the case where a car ran over and killed another tiger earlier this year. These instances where cases go undetected will only further encourage poachers to engage in illegal hunting,” said a conservationist from the Nilgiris stating that investigations must also ensure that the real offenders are punished.

Published - November 27, 2024 08:09 pm IST