An injured tiger, the first animal which was admitted to the animal hospice and palliative care unit for big cats in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) around four months ago, is recovering and may soon be released back into the wild.
The big cat, aged around 12 years, was captured on March 9 from a human settlement at Kalliyottu in the Mananthavady municipality under the North Wayanad Forest Division after it had triggered panic among residents.
When all the efforts of forest personnel to send it back into the forest had gone in vain, veterinarians captured the animal by firing tranquillizer darts. Later, the predator was shifted to the animal hospice and palliative care unit for treatment.
The animal had an injury on the joint of its right forelimb which it apparently sustained after a fight with another big cat. The wound has healed nearly 90% and it would recover fully in a few days, Jose Mathew, warden in-charge, told The Hindu.
Meat with medicines
“We are giving the tiger 7 kg of beef or chicken every alternate day mixed with medicines,” Mr. Mathew said. The animal is healthy and active but its hunting capacity is yet to be restored, he said. Moreover, one of its canines was broken.
The life expectancy of a tiger in its habitat is nearly 12 years, an age the animal has already reached. If the tiger is released into the wild, the chance of conflict with another tiger for territory is very high. Once it recovers it would be either shifted to the zoo or to the wild as per the directive of the Chief Wildlife Warden, he said.
Abandoned plantation
Nobody would be allowed to visit the hospice, except veterinarians and two workers, to reduce the animal’s contact with humans, he said.
The unit has been set up on the premises of Vanalakshmi, an abandoned pepper plantation of the Forest Department near Pachadi in the Kurichiad forest range, at a cost of ₹1.12 crore.
