Tamil Nadu Chief Forest Officer Sekar Kumar Neeraj said that there is no plan for that at present and the focus is on the health of the tiger. Meanwhile, wildlife activists say the T-23 could be relocated after learning of its behaviour and psychological problems.
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has said it has no plans to transfer the T-23 tiger from the Mysore Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka to the Vandalur Scholar Anna Zoo in Tamil Nadu at present. According to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the T-23 tiger is in good health and it is consuming the food it needs.
Wildlife activists are advising that once the T-23 tiger is fully recovered, it could be relocated to dense forests or tiger sanctuaries with the help of wildlife psychologists.
Last October, the tiger killed four people in the jungles near Masinagudi and Gudalur in Coimbatore district. In addition, more than 30 livestock were hunted in the area. The court ordered the forest department to capture the T-23 tiger alive after it was prosecuted by an animal rights activist in the Chennai High Court while the forest department was trying to capture the tiger. After a 22-day search hunt, the tiger was captured with the help of forest officials, animal activists and volunteers in the Masinagudi area. Further, after it was revealed that the tiger was seriously injured during the search hunt, the forest department took the tiger to the Mysore Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka for treatment and continued monitoring and treatment.
Tamil Nadu Chief Forest Officer Sekar Kumar Neeraj told us, "Initially, the T-23 tiger ate very little and could not even walk as it suffered more than 10 injuries. The tiger's condition is currently improving after intensive treatment. The tiger is fed 15-kg of beef per day except on Tuesdays.”
After this, to the question on whether the T-23 tiger will be brought to Tamil Nadu once it recovers well, Neeraj said that there is no plan for that at present and the focus is on the health of the tiger. Meanwhile, wildlife activists say the T-23 could be relocated after learning of its behaviour and psychological problems.
Emperor K Asoka, a wildlife researcher, said, “The behaviour of the tiger should be examined before moving to an alternative location. In addition, the tiger can be relocated only after consultation with experts, including wildlife veterinarians and forest officials, who study the tiger on a daily basis. Also, there should be no human habitation or grazing area for livestock near the relocation."
According to the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Commission and the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests, certain rules must be followed if a tiger is to be transported from one wildlife zoo to another. A team must be formed before moving to another location. The team will consist of the Chief Wildlife Conservator, an individual from the National Tiger Conservation Commission, an expert wildlife veterinarian who is well versed in tigers, and the Director of Wildlife Zoology.
In addition, the team should check the health of the tiger before relocating it. Especially in the last one week they checked how healthy it is, how its blood pressure is, and what is the amount of food that the tiger eats. It would take a huge heavy vehicle to move the tiger elsewhere. The tiger should be kept in a large ventilated cage and also, a wildlife veterinarian must travel in this vehicle. When the vehicle is moving, the tiger should be given appropriate medicine in case of any dehydration. Generally any wild animal should be transported from one zoo to another within 24 hours. Also when carrying such various devices especially GPS wireless networks should be used for data transfer or for any urgent need.
Wildlife activists are advising that once the T-23 tiger is fully recovered, it could be relocated to dense forests or tiger sanctuaries with the help of wildlife psychologists.
Last October, the tiger killed four people in the jungles near Masinagudi and Gudalur in Coimbatore district. In addition, more than 30 livestock were hunted in the area. The court ordered the forest department to capture the T-23 tiger alive after it was prosecuted by an animal rights activist in the Chennai High Court while the forest department was trying to capture the tiger. After a 22-day search hunt, the tiger was captured with the help of forest officials, animal activists and volunteers in the Masinagudi area. Further, after it was revealed that the tiger was seriously injured during the search hunt, the forest department took the tiger to the Mysore Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka for treatment and continued monitoring and treatment.
Tamil Nadu Chief Forest Officer Sekar Kumar Neeraj told us, "Initially, the T-23 tiger ate very little and could not even walk as it suffered more than 10 injuries. The tiger's condition is currently improving after intensive treatment. The tiger is fed 15-kg of beef per day except on Tuesdays.”
After this, to the question on whether the T-23 tiger will be brought to Tamil Nadu once it recovers well, Neeraj said that there is no plan for that at present and the focus is on the health of the tiger. Meanwhile, wildlife activists say the T-23 could be relocated after learning of its behaviour and psychological problems.
Emperor K Asoka, a wildlife researcher, said, “The behaviour of the tiger should be examined before moving to an alternative location. In addition, the tiger can be relocated only after consultation with experts, including wildlife veterinarians and forest officials, who study the tiger on a daily basis. Also, there should be no human habitation or grazing area for livestock near the relocation."
According to the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Commission and the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests, certain rules must be followed if a tiger is to be transported from one wildlife zoo to another. A team must be formed before moving to another location. The team will consist of the Chief Wildlife Conservator, an individual from the National Tiger Conservation Commission, an expert wildlife veterinarian who is well versed in tigers, and the Director of Wildlife Zoology.
In addition, the team should check the health of the tiger before relocating it. Especially in the last one week they checked how healthy it is, how its blood pressure is, and what is the amount of food that the tiger eats. It would take a huge heavy vehicle to move the tiger elsewhere. The tiger should be kept in a large ventilated cage and also, a wildlife veterinarian must travel in this vehicle. When the vehicle is moving, the tiger should be given appropriate medicine in case of any dehydration. Generally any wild animal should be transported from one zoo to another within 24 hours. Also when carrying such various devices especially GPS wireless networks should be used for data transfer or for any urgent need.