Sulthan Bathery: Alarmed by recurring tiger attacks on domestic animals in Cheeral and neighbouring areas over the past two weeks, the Forest Department has deployed a 40-member Rapid Response Team (RRT) to capture the animal, which has been on a hunting spree in the region, according to a communique issued by the South Wayanad Forest Division on Friday.

Following mounting protests from local residents, the department constituted a special team by selecting experienced personnel from various RRTs operating in the district. A round-the-clock combing operation is underway to track the tiger's movement and identify strategic locations for installing live CCTV cameras.

Modern drones equipped with thermal-imaging cameras have also been deployed to assist the search operation, particularly during night hours and in areas with dense vegetation.

Special measures to protect cattle
An all-party action council organised a massive protest at the Thottamoola Forest Station near Cheeral on Friday, demanding urgent measures to prevent further attacks on domestic animals.

The tiger has so far killed two buffaloes and several sheep in the area, according to local residents. Forest Department officials examined the pugmarks found at the attack sites and confirmed they were those of a tiger.

The presence of pugmarks near several houses has heightened fear among residents of the isolated hamlets of Cheeral and Nambiarkunnu. The pugmarks have reportedly been spotted in residential areas on several occasions over the past few days, prompting residents to take additional precautions to protect their livestock.

Many households have installed steel nets around cattle sheds, kept fires burning at night and arranged round-the-clock lighting around the sheds to deter the animal. Residents have also maintained vigilance at night, fearing further attacks.

Massive operation launched to capture the tiger
South Wayanad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ashiq Ali told the media on Friday that all possible measures would be taken to capture the animal and that it would be shot if attempts to capture it failed. “A massive operation has been launched to capture the animal,” the DFO said.

The operation is conducted with the support of specialised personnel from different parts of the district. Teams are monitoring the area for fresh pugmarks and other signs of the tiger's movement, while camera traps and thermal drones are being used to establish its location and movement pattern.

The animal's repeated presence near human habitations has raised concerns among residents, particularly because Cheeral and adjoining areas are close to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS).

Demand to bring Cheeral under WWS jurisdiction
Local residents have also raised a long-standing demand that the forest areas adjoining human settlements in Cheeral be brought under the administrative jurisdiction of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS).

At present, although the region is close to the sanctuary, several forest areas near human habitations fall under the South Wayanad Forest Division. Residents claim that this arrangement has created operational difficulties for both the public and Forest Department personnel, particularly during emergencies involving wildlife.

The DFO said a special forest outpost would be established in the locality to ensure a quicker response to wildlife-related incidents. Residents have also alleged that the absence of senior forest officials in the locality delays emergency responses, as officials and specialised teams often have to travel from distant locations.

Mr Ashiq Ali said the Forest Department would submit a detailed proposal to the government to restructure the jurisdiction so the Cheeral region could be brought under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

He said the Forest Department would also bring residents' grievances about compensation for livestock killed in wildlife attacks to the State government's attention. Local residents have been demanding a revision of the compensation provided for cattle losses, citing the increasing frequency of wildlife attacks.

Tiger's identity yet to be established
According to Forest Department officials, CCTV cameras in the area have captured images of the animal. However, officials have not yet identified the tiger.

Officials said the animal does not appear to match any tiger images currently listed in the tiger population records of Kerala or Tamil Nadu. They said it could be an unidentified animal that has wandered into the region from neighbouring Karnataka.

The Forest Department is continuing its surveillance and combing operations to establish the animal's identity, track its movements and prevent further attacks on livestock and any possible threat to human life.