Sulthan Bathery: The Chief Wildlife Warden on Sunday issued a shooting order following public outcry over recurring tiger attacks on cattle in the Edakkad-Manthadam area at Kenichira in Wayanad district.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders have been issued for two days in wards 2, 16 and 19 of the Poothadi grama panchayat.
The tiger that killed four cows in two days has been evading traps set by the Forest Department. Surveillance teams are stationed in the area while veterinarians accompanied by the Rapid Response Team (RRT) have reached Kenichira.
South Wayanad DFO-in-charge, B Ranjith, told Onmanorama that his team had expected the tiger to walk into a trap that was laid out where cattle had been attacked. “As the animal continues to evade the traps, we have no other choice but to launch a darting operation in the morning,” he said.
“We would have launched the operation today itself, but heavy rain prevented us from entering the farmlands,” said Ranjith. He said the tiger can easily hide in the thick vegetation in the coffee plantations. It is assumed that the tiger hasn't eaten in two days. “A 40-plus-member strong RRT is ready for the mission and round-the-clock patrolling in the area also going on,” he said.
