R S Tejus & Meera Bhardwaj:
There seems to be an “identity crisis” about the Bandipur mother tigress capture on 28th October because of conflicting reports arising on this issue.
This mother tigress (which has three cubs) was captured on Tuesday late evening. This is the one that was identified and held responsible for the Badagalapura “attack incident” and not the Mullur (Nugu Range) human attack incident.
Speaking to Green Minute, forest officials said, “Some fake news is being spread saying that the wrong tiger has been captured which is completely false. The identity of the tiger was ascertained by scientific methods and then only the capture operations were undertaken.”
The facts about the capture operations on October 28th have been confirmed by ACF Naveen, Bandipur Sub-Division and ACF Paramesh, Hediyala Sub-Division of Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
The Badagalapura tigress is a mother which has three cubs. One cub has already been rescued by the Karnataka Forest Department, and now efforts are on to secure the remaining two young cubs.
CAPTURE OPERATIONS
This was a week-long operation carried out by the forest staff & officials, Veterinary Doctor and Sharpshooter of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka Forest Department.
The mother tigress was captured in the Hediyala Sub-Division limits near Mullurugudda village of Bandipur Tiger Reserve on 28th October between 6 and 6:30 PM.
According to ACF Paramesh, the Veterinary team took three darting attempts to tranquilize the tigress. The type of drug used for darting is not yet confirmed. However, the mother tigress is completely healthy and uninjured. She has been shifted safely to the rescue centre near Mysuru, forest officials stressed.
As per advice of the veterinary doctor from wildlife wing of Karnataka Forest Department, the mother tigress has been shifted to Koorgalli Rescue Centre for treatment and welfare and one can see in the picture, how disturbed and scared the tigress is.
HAS NTCA PROTOCOL FOR TIGRESS CAPTURE ADHERED TO?
On their part, forest officials said, “All National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocols and standard operating procedure (SOP) have been strictly followed for the capture operations of the mother tigress.
With local people and villagers baying for the tigress life, the operations were carried out in a highly volatile situation. Amidst the hollering public where even police couldn’t control the crowds, the scared tigress was captured only after three attempts of darting.
As per NTCA, standard operating procedures (SOP):
- Not more than two attempts of darting can be carried out.
- Capture operations cannot be done in the dark due to tracking problem, & chances of attack.
- Has identification been done as per SOP? Let them present the strip pattern and pug marks.
- The three cubs should have been captured first before the mother.
- Later, the mother tigress should have been lured into a big cage instead of darting.
- This would have attracted the tiger cubs to the mother tigress.
- Only one cub captured, it has resulted in the separation of all the cubs and the mother.
- Now, what will happen to the two cubs, which will be searching for their mother.
- The mother tigress should have been collared to track its movement, its reunion with the cubs in the wild.
- Why were three darts done & did the darts miss or hit another spot?
- Not more than two darts per day can be done as per SOP.
- How can the team miss a big predator of 200-250 kgs and isn’t the team involved not professional.
- So, this calls for a comprehensive inquiry by NTCA.
- The drugs used for darting and the dosage has not been revealed by forest officials to the media which shows total lack of coordination, accountability and transparency.
- Now who darted the tigress – the vet or the sharp shooter as the team has attempted to dart thrice.
- Without capturing all the cubs first, capturing the tigress is against the SOP.
- Now mother is in a rescue centre in Mysuru, while one cub is with the Karnataka Forest Department and other two are in the wild.
- Without their mother, the survival of the three tiger cubs is a big question mark.
As per NTCA, the media should be briefed by official spokesperson of the Bandipur TR on a daily basis giving out facts and detailed information on the capture operations. This is to avoid distortion of information and rumour mongering.
According to forest sources, the same vet team had caught the wrong tiger in Nagarhole and Kodagu a few years back and also botched up the revered tusker Arjuna’s operation which resulted in its death in December 2023. This was due to several alleged violations of protocol and safety measures.
WILL THIS TIGRESS BE RELEASED?
This tigress had attacked a local person Madegowda on 16th October after he had repeatedly pelted stones at her and her three young cubs. It was a defensive attack by the tigress to protect her cubs and she is not a conflict case.
Although this is not a conflict situation and the tigress had only attacked this “unruly person” on repeated provocation, the decision on whether to release the mother tigress back into the wild – will be taken only after a detailed discussion with senior officials of the Karnataka Forest Department.
Both ACF Naveen and ACF Paramesh have urged the public and media to stop spreading rumours and trust official information. The operation was carried out with full care and coordination to ensure safety of both the wildlife and the public, they stated to Green Minute News.