Tiger injured in territorial fight shifted to rehab centre

Gundlupet (Chamarajanagar dist): The Forest department personnel rescued an injured tiger on Heggawadi Road, in Kundukere range, under Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Gundlupet taluk, Chamarajanagar district, on Friday. It was shifted to the rehabilitation centre in Koorgalli, Mysuru, for treatment.

The farmers spotted the tiger lying on a field in a weak condition, immediately alerted the Forest department personnel. Bandipur Deputy Conservator of Forest Prabhakaran, ACF Suresh and Kundukere Range Forest Officer Nagendra Nayak rushed to the spot.

Veterinarian Dr Wasim Mirza darted the tiger, which was then shifted to Koorgalli Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru for treatment. The tiger is around 11 years old and has been injured in a territorial fight, the officials said.

However, the farmers were adamant that the injured tiger should not be shifted until the other tiger, which escaped after the territorial fight, is captured. Only after the officials assured that a combing operation would be launched immediately to rescue the elusive tiger, the farmers relented and allowed the shifting of the injured one. The operation has been started at Kunnamutti Gudda area.