The Forest Department confirmed on Saturday that it had expanded operations to capture a second tiger in the Gudalur Forest Division.
A statement said: “In order to capture the tiger sighted in Nambalakkottai and Vimalagiri areas of the Gudalur Forest Division, two trap cages and 25 camera traps have been installed as per the instructions of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden.”
A special team comprising forest staff has been formed to track and monitor the animal. The department confirmed that the tiger being searched for in Vimalagiri is different to the one that killed two people in O’Valley in August.
Frequent sightings
They said the Vimalagiri tiger had been spotted frequently near human settlements over the last two weeks, heightening fears of human-animal interactions in the region, necessitating the decision to capture the animal. Meanwhile, efforts to capture the tiger in O’Valley continued for the 16th day.