‘Constitute team with locals to capture tiger’

INTUC state general secretary Napanda Muddappa urged authorities to constitute a team of experts by including local residents, to take up an operation to capture a tiger, that had claimed three human lives and over 20 lives of cattle in Kodagu district.

"Human life too has a value just like the life of wild animals. The shooting of the tiger that had claimed three lives is necessitated. The forest department officials should think of constituting a team by including locals. The officials have been struggling to capture the tiger for the last one week. It is better to constitute a team with locals to trace the tiger," he opined.

The villagers have complete details on the surrounding areas and parts of the forest area. Along with keeping an eye on the movement of wild animals, it will help in tracing the tiger, he said.

If the tiger is captured, then it should not be relocated. The number of tigers in Kodagu is on the rise and its territory is in decline. There is a need to ensure that food is available for the tigers inside the forest, he added.

The district is also haunted by the rising elephant menace. There is a need to cultivate more fruit-bearing saplings and arrange water for the wild animals inside the forest. There is a decline in bamboo trees in the forest, he said.