Forest dept to distribute safety headgear to tribals after tiger kills elderly man in Wayanad

The Wayanad Forest Department is set to distribute safety headgears to tribal residents entering forest areas after a tiger killed a tribal man, Maran, also known as Kooman, of Devar Gadha village on Saturday.

Multiple tigers have been sighted in the area, heightening fear among residents. A technical committee convened by the Forest Department on Monday reviewed preparations to capture the problem animal and said an aged tiger, possibly unable to hunt effectively due to age-related issues, may now be targeting humans as easier prey.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Palakkad, T Uma, and Deputy Conservator of Forests Arul Selvan visited the area and interacted with members of the tribal community. Officials advised residents to wear protective headgear while entering forest zones, noting that tigers typically attack the neck, causing instant paralysis or fatal injuries.

The Forest Department installed an additional cage trap and deployed a team led by Assistant Conservator of Forests Joshil M to search the Kannarampuzha forest following fresh reports of tiger sightings. Officials said they have not detected any new signs of tiger movement so far.

The department will also launch an awareness campaign among tribal communities on tiger behaviour during the mating season and the precautions to be taken. Earlier, Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G Krishnan ordered that the problem tiger be captured using cage traps or, if required, tranquiliser shots.