Efforts are being made by the forest department officials to capture the tiger, that has been attacking livestock near West Nemmale in Srimangala.
The forest department has set up a 60-member team and traps in certain areas. Two elephants named Sriram and Ajay, have been brought from the Mattigodu elephant camp to carry out the operation. However, the elephants are not being taken inside coffee plantations to avoid damage to the crop. Meriyanda Sanketh Poovayya, state wildlife board membersaid that the team is prepared to deploy elephants immediately upon finding any trace of the tiger.
Forest department personnel and officers are involved in the operation being carried out in the two-kilometer radius around the West Nemmale. The Rapid Response Team (RRT) and the Elephant Task Force have also been deployed. However, no pug marks have been found.
Madikeri Wildlife Division DCF Nehru, Virajpet DCF Jagannath, ACF Gopal, Madikeri ACF Srinivas Nayak, Srimangala RFO Aravind, Ponnampet RFO Shankar, wildlife expert Dr Chittiappa and sharpshooter Ranjan are on the team.
