Wild tiger MDT-23 captured by forest dept; to be treated at Mysore zoo

Chennai: The elusive wild tiger MDT-23 was tranquilised and caged in the Masinagudi area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu at around 2:30 pm on Friday (October 15).

State Forest Minister Ramachandran said the successful capture operation was significant, given how the three prior attempts in the same region had led to the killing of the tiger.

The captured predator is being taken to the Mysore Zoo in Karnataka for further treatment and care, following which a decision to rehabilitate it will be taken. This brings to an end a three-week-long operation to capture the tiger, which is said to have caused the deaths of livestock and two persons, thus causing fear among the local populace.

The minister added that the 13 year old tiger, a full-grown male, had sustained multiple injuries during territorial fights with younger tigers.

Chief Wildlife Warden, Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj said that the tiger had been darted only once with a tranquiliser and that the attempts to do so on Thursday night were unsuccessful.

Earlier in the day, pictures and videos emerging from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) indicated that a wild tiger has been tranquilised and caged. Back then, there had been no official confirmation of it being MDT-23. A video showed the caged tiger being taken away in a truck. In another video, where forest staff are seen, background voices are heard saying that the net has to be removed, the tiger’s legs had to be tied and a pole had to be readied (ostensibly to help carry the animal).

According to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, MDT-23 had been preying on livestock in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and adjoining areas since July this year. This predator is also said to have killed an individual on September 24, following which efforts were underway to track, tranquilise and capture it.

Earlier this month, the Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu had issued a ‘Hunting Order’ in adherence to Section 11(1)(a) of India’s Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

When queried about this hunting order, Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj had told Zee Media, “This is not a man-eater tiger. The unfortunate instances of people getting killed were because they ignored the warnings and ventured into the forests where the tiger was roaming. What has been issued is not a shooting order, our first priority is to trap and capture the tiger. Shooting (if at all) will be the last resort”.

Queried on the course of action after capture, he replied that the tiger would be have to undergo medical examination by expert vets, following which a decision on moving it to a zoo or similar options can be considered.

It is pertinent to note that adult male tigers hunting livestock and other captive prey are very rare, given that they have adequate wild prey in the vast expanse of the ecologically-rich Nilgiri Biosphere reserve where MTR is situated. Officials are also looking forward to finding out the reason behind this behavior. However, initial suspicion points towards multiple injuries that the tiger has sustained, thus making it weak and less capable of hunting wild prey.

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