Tiger moves deeper into populated area after Forest officials use firecrackers

WAYANAD: Efforts are underway to drive a tiger that entered a populated area in Wayanad back into the forest. The tiger was spotted in the Cheekalloor Vayal Thuruthu region. Forest officials have confirmed that it is a five-year-old male tiger, identified as WWL 112. When firecrackers were burst to scare the tiger back into the forest, it emerged from a concealed thicket and ran away. The tiger moved further into the populated area. Officials are now trying to drive the tiger back into the forest by bursting firecrackers during the night.

The tiger was earlier spotted in the Mecheri Vayal area near Panamaram on Tuesday evening. Forest officials noticed the animal while it was resting. The area has been cordoned off by forest personnel. South Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer Ajith K. Raman said the attempt is to guide the tiger back into the Pathiriyambam forest area. An 80-member forest team has been deployed at the spot as part of the tiger mission. The Mecheri Vayal area, where the tiger was seen today, is located just four kilometres away from the Padikkamvayal area, where the tiger was spotted on Monday. A large-scale search was launched on Tuesday morning after tiger footprints were found in the area.

Trained kumki elephants Bharath and Vikram from Muthanga have also been brought in as part of the mission. Due to fear of the tiger, prohibitory orders continue in Panamaram and Kaniyambetta panchayats. Families in the Mecheri and Pulikkal areas have been advised to remain indoors. The tiger was located about 28 hours after it was first reported in the region.

The tiger was first seen on Tuesday at Pachilakkad in Padikkamvayal, a border area between Panamaram and Kaniyambetta panchayats. It was spotted around 9 am by local resident Binu and his companions at the Padikkamvayal hill area. After residents alerted the authorities, personnel from the Kambalakkad police station and officials from the Vellamunda forest range reached the spot. Forest officials later found tiger footprints in the area. Drone surveillance was conducted, and visuals of the tiger were captured using the forest department’s heli-camera.