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The carcass of a tiger, declared a ‘man-eater’ by the Kerala government three days ago, was found in the same area where it attacked and killed a 47-year-old tribal woman last week.
The Kerala Forest Department declared the tiger a ‘man-eater’ after a tragic incident in Pancharakolli, near Mananthavady in the northern Wayanad district. In response to the attack, shoot-at-sight orders were issued. However, during the early hours of January 27, the body of the tiger, which had sustained multiple injuries, was discovered.
The latest development occurred amid large-scale protests in Wayanad, where residents staged continued hartals and roadblocks. The people, mainly farmers and plantation workers, demanded the right to cull wild animals that have been foraging into human habitats in the hill district, which borders the wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves of Wayanad, Nagarahole, Bandipur, and Mudumalai.
Arun Scaria, a veterinary surgeon with the Department of Forests and Wildlife, led the operation to capture the ‘man-eater’ tiger.
In a telephonic conversation with Down To Earth (DTE), he stated that the exact cause of the tiger's death would only be determined later.
A necropsy conducted in the afternoon confirmed that it was indeed the same tiger that had killed the tribal woman. During the post-mortem, remnants of clothing, hair, and earrings believed to belong to the victim were recovered.
Scaria suggested that the gashes on the neck, likely inflicted during a fight with another tiger, might be the cause of the wild animal’s death.
Although the Wayanad and Idukki districts of Kerala have been experiencing frequent incidents of human-wildlife conflict, this was the first time the government officially declared a tiger to be a ‘man-eater’ and ordered it to be shot on sight.
Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran told DTE over the phone that a team of wildlife experts on patrol discovered the suspected man-eater mortally injured in the Pilakavu locality of Pancharakolli around 2:30 am on January 27.
A tiger was discovered beside the road at Pilakavu, bearing deep gashes on its neck along with several other wounds. The carcass was promptly transported to the Forest Range Office in Kuppadi, near Sultan Bathery, where a necropsy was conducted by the evening.
Saseendran confirmed that the tiger in question was a female, approximately 6 to 7 years old, and the same one that attacked tribal woman Radha and a member of the rapid response team (RRT) last week.
He also stated that the department will continue combing operations in other areas of Wayanad where the public has reported sightings of tigers.
“Search operations will be conducted over the next few days in at least four locations in Wayanad where tigers have been spotted,” the minister stated. “The team focused on Pilakavu after at least 17 camera traps captured the tiger. They tracked it from 12:30 am onwards before discovering it dead. They had intended to tranquillise the animal,” the minister added.
The tiger attacked a member of the RRT during the operation to capture it on January 26 morning. He narrowly escaped serious injury, sustaining only minor wounds to his hand.
On January 24 morning, Saseendran announced that the tiger responsible for the death of the tribal woman would be shot if efforts to capture it were unsuccessful. Following the woman’s death, a large protest was held in Mananthavady.
Radha, the wife of Achappan, a temporary forest watchman, was killed by a tiger while she was plucking coffee cherries at the Priyadarshini Estate in Pancharakolly village. Since her tragic death, Wayanad has experienced significant unrest, and both Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan have repeatedly promised that the tiger responsible for the attack will be dealt with swiftly.
Conservation groups have voiced concerns about the lack of proper guidelines followed when declaring the animal a man-eater and issuing a shoot-at-sight order. While Wayanad is experiencing widespread celebrations over the death of the so-called ‘man-eater’, experts are calling for long-term measures to reduce the alarming human-animal conflicts in the district.
P O Nameer, a professor and head of the Department of Wildlife Sciences and the Centre for Wildlife Studies at the College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, stated that he is not aware of any studies conducted by the state on the stress factors in tiger habitats that might drive these animals into human settlements. The Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi, a local environmental protection organisation, has sought clarification on the combing operations regarding the alleged man-eater and the protocols for issuing shoot-at-sight orders against the animal.
The forest department claims that the number of tigers in Wayanad has increased alarmingly, even though it is not a designated tiger reserve. However, no credible data is available regarding the tiger population in the wildlife sanctuary, which is experiencing seasonal migrations from Bandipur, Mudumalai, and Nagarahole.
Till the moment the alleged man-eater was found dead, a wave of hysteria swept through Wayanad, leading to calls for its capture and killing.
Malayalam-language television channels contributed to this panic, broadcasting intense live reports that fuelled fear and frenzy across the state while often neglecting factual information and expert opinions.
The channels reflected the demands of mobs that favoured impulsive solutions and modifications to wildlife protection laws, allowing them the right to shoot and kill wild animals. Wayanad, which borders the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu and the Nagarahole and Bandipur Tiger Reserves in Karnataka, is approximately 36.48 per cent forested.
A previous report by DTE highlighted how invasive and alien species are causing forest habitat degradation, leading to a significant food crisis for wild animals in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve region, which comprises Wayanad.
Years ago, forest officials introduced invasive species like Senna, Mikania, and Lantana to enhance the forests’ aesthetic appeal. However, these species are now threatening the biodiversity and food chain of the region’s forests.
Introducing commercial alien plants, such as acacia and eucalyptus, into forested areas has significantly worsened the situation. In Kerala alone, these species are cultivated on forest land covering 30,000 hectares, which endangers local wildlife’s natural habitats and food sources.
Many invasive and non-native plant species consume excessive water, draining forests’ natural water resources. Consequently, elephants and tigers are some of the species most affected.
The Kerala forest department halted planting acacia and eucalyptus in forest areas six years ago. However, restoring natural forests and addressing water shortages will take time. Eco-restoration through scientific methods is the only viable solution. Climate change has become a significant factor in forest food and water shortages.
Over the years, Kerala has implemented various measures to control human-animal conflict, including building stone walls, elephant-proof trenches, and solar-powered electrified fencing. In 2022-23, the state maintained 158.4 kilometres of elephant-proof trenches, built 237 kilometres of compound walls, and installed 42.6 kilometres of solar fencing. However, despite these efforts, these measures fall significantly short of addressing the severe crisis affecting the entire state, particularly in Wayanad.
Experts suggest that Wayanad needs significant financial investments in short-term and long-term initiatives to address the ongoing crisis; the central and state governments must contribute significantly.
Wayanad’s land-use patterns have undergone significant transformations over time, primarily due to the encroachment of settlers on vulnerable terrain and the efforts of resort tourism lobbyists to acquire lands near forest fringes, wetlands, and the catchment areas of rivers and waterways. Conservationists emphasise that this situation requires urgent attention. They note that stone quarries near wildlife sanctuaries contribute significantly to man-animal conflicts.
Additionally, indiscriminate eco-tourism and the rapid development of tourist resorts along forest edges exacerbate these issues. Thousands of tourists enter the forested areas daily, often under the guise of eco-tourism.