Kerala’s Forest Department Persists in Tranquillising Wayward Tiger at Vandiperiyar

For the past two‑and‑a‑half months a solitary tiger has been making the tea‑laden slopes of Vandiperiyar its unofficial backyard. By day it hides in the tangled undergrowth of abandoned tea estates; by night it prowls the cultivated rows of Hillash, Granby and Arnakkal, only to slip back into the adjoining Ranni Reserve Forest before dawn. The result? A string of startled villagers, a few frightened cattle, and a forest department that’s been on high alert ever since.

Chief Conservator of Forests D. K. Vinod Kumar, speaking on a rainy Monday, said the big cat’s pattern is now almost predictable. “It camps in the tea plantation area, comes out after dark, attacks cattle in the early hours and then disappears into the reserve,” he explained. “To dart it, we need to catch it in daylight, when it’s less agile and more visible.”

To that end, the department has rolled out a makeshift campsite of tree‑houses, quietly perched among the tea bushes. Rangers and biologists spend long hours scanning the horizon, listening for the faint rustle that might give away the tiger’s location. The jungle’s thick canopy, once a sanctuary for leopards and tigers alike, now doubles as a perfect hiding spot for a predator that’s become all too comfortable around humans.

Complicating matters is the sheer number of cattle grazing in the region. “The overgrown, abandoned tea estates provide easy cover, while the abundance of livestock offers an irresistible food source,” noted Kumar. “That’s the biggest hurdle we face.”

Help has arrived from an unexpected quarter. A Rapid Response Team (RRT) from Wayanad, trained for exactly these kinds of high‑risk operations, has joined the local crew. Divisional Forest Officer Praful Agrawal said the specialists are monitoring the tiger’s movements round‑the‑clock, hoping that a clear daylight sighting will finally allow the tranquiliser dart to find its mark.

The tiger in question is not a newcomer to the area. It was first captured in the Munnar hills and, after a brief quarantine, released into the Periyar Tiger Reserve on April 2. Within a few weeks, however, the animal slipped out of the reserve’s boundaries and began drifting toward the human‑dominated fringe of Vandiperiyar, first appearing in Thankamala in late April.

Authorities are clear about the next steps. Once successfully darted, the tiger will be sedated, moved to a secure holding facility and eventually transferred to a zoo. “We tried releasing it once, and it came right back,” Kumar said. “We won’t repeat that experiment.”

Local residents remain wary but hopeful. While the presence of a tiger can be a thrilling, even revered sight for some, the repeated incursions have strained the delicate balance between wildlife and livelihood. The forest department’s painstaking effort—tree‑houses, night watches, and a visiting rapid‑response squad—underscores a commitment to protect both people and the big cat, even if it means coaxing the animal back into captivity for good.