K'taka Forest min directs capture of tigress, cubs spotted in Chamarajanagar

Bengaluru, Dec 23 (PTI) Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday directed officials to immediately install cages and, if required, tranquilise and capture a tigress and her four cubs spotted

in Chamarajanagar district, with the objective of safely relocating them to a secure habitat.

Chairing an emergency meeting via video conference, Khandre said the presence of the five tigers in private agricultural lands in Nanjedevanapura village had caused panic among local residents, a statement issued by his office said.

He instructed officials to act swiftly and scientifically to ensure that there was no loss of human life while also preventing any harm to the animals during the operation.

“The safety of human lives is paramount, and at the same time, the protection of wildlife is equally important,” Khandre said, underscoring the need to strike a careful balance between public safety and wildlife conservation during the rescue operation.

The minister stressed that continuous monitoring of the tigers’ movement was crucial and directed officials to deploy drones and thermal cameras to obtain precise information on their whereabouts.

He said villagers must be informed immediately if the animals move towards human settlements and Forest Department teams should be rushed to the spot to avert any untoward incident.

Khandre acknowledged that capturing and relocating five tigers was a challenging task and cautioned senior officers to exercise utmost vigilance.

He specifically warned against a recurrence of past incidents, including the attack on a person during a tiger rescue operation at Badagalapura, and said all precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the rescue teams.

He also directed officials to ensure the availability of all required equipment for the operation and instructed them to deploy additional veterinarians and sharpshooters.

The minister further ordered that extra elephants be mobilised immediately, if necessary, to assist in the rescue and relocation process.

Reiterating that human life was of the highest priority, Khandre instructed officials to strictly enforce preventive measures, including the imposition of Section 144, to ensure that the public does not gather near the operation site.

He said all necessary precautions must be taken to safeguard the personnel involved in the operation.

The minister also ordered an increase in e-patrolling, directing that all forest guards and officers install the designated patrol application on their mobile phones.

He said patrol activities should be monitored from the central office to ensure there were no lapses and instructed officials to activate command centres without delay.

Khandre clarified that the measures currently being taken were temporary and asked officials to consult experts to formulate a long-term plan to prevent wildlife from straying from forest areas into human habitations. He directed them to prepare a detailed roadmap and submit a report on permanent solutions.

During the meeting, officials also informed the minister that a leopard, which had attacked and killed a woman in Turuvekere and later fed on the body had been captured and shifted to a rehabilitation centre.

Two tigers and eight cubs have died so far this year in Chamarajanagar district. PTI GMS SA