Tigers kill a dozen heads of cattle at Nagarahole

The forest department’s attempt to trap the straying beasts has not yielded the desired results.

In an unprecedented situation at the Nagarahole National Park, the tigers are giving sleepless nights to the Forest Department officers by targeting the cattle of the villages adjoining the forest areas.

Three days ago, the big cats had killed a calf and two cows of Kannur village. Incidentally, the cattle belonged to the same farmer. A compensation of Rs 5,000 was awarded to the farmer. However, Kannur residents said the amount was insufficient as it was a hybrid milching cow that had fallen prey to the wild beasts.

Following the agitation by residents, the department had laid a trap for the tiger. “But the animals avoided the village after crackers were burst and gunshots fired following the death of a person in the village,” said B K Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife warden.

However, the tigers’ action shifted to another village, Kottur, where the animals are said to have killed eight cattle and two goats. It was followed by the killing of two more cattle on Tuesday night, which has resulted in the widespread public outcry over the department’s inability to prevent the tigers from straying into human habitat.

Angry villagers are said to have fired at two tigers, but the animals escaped. Officials in the department attribute the incidents to the high density of big cats in the park.

“The spillover population of the tigers is straying out and this has resulted in attacks on cattle,” said a top official.

Admitting that tranquilising  big cats was not easy, Singh said the DCF, Nagarahole was camping in the affected villages with the support team. “Elephant service is being utilised. Sharp shooters have been stationed to tranquilise the straying animals. “The moment we sight the animals, we will trap them,” Singh said.