PULPALLY: In a major operation, the Forest Department successfully trapped a rogue tiger that had been terrorizing the Pulpally region of Wayanad. The big cat was caught in a specially designed cage at Thoopra, Pulpally, around 11:30 PM on Thursday.
The cage was designed as a replica of a goat enclosure, a tactic used to lure the tiger. The animal had a wound on its left paw and appeared extremely exhausted. The tiger was transported to the Irulam Forest Station for further care. The tiger, which had come out of the forest, had been roaming the coffee plantations in the Pulpally-Amarakuni areas.
During its time in the region, it reportedly killed five goats, causing widespread concern among the locals. The delay in capturing the tiger had sparked strong protests against the Forest Department.
Under the leadership of DFO Ajith K Raman and Senior Veterinary Surgeon Dr Arun Zachariah, the Rapid Response Team (RRT) worked tirelessly to capture the tiger. This was one of the largest operations undertaken by the Forest Department. The operation utilized resources such as trained kumki elephants and thermal scanners to track the tiger.