Tamil Nadu: Tiger moved to Vandalur zoo

Coimbatore: Two weeks after Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy informed the Madras High Court that a tiger (ANM-T56) could not be released into the wild, a team of forest department staff with the help of veterinarians on Monday shifted the tiger in a special ambulance from Manthirimattam near Valparai to Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai. The tiger was shifted to a specially designed cage, which was brought from Vandalur between 11 and 11.30 am on Monday and is expected to reach the destination on Tuesday, sources said. Bhargav Teja, deputy director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, said, “This animal can survive without food for more than 24 hours, which is normal. It will not be sedated during the journey, we will strictly follow NTCA guidelines and keep the speed of the ambulance below 40 kmph.” Forest department staff closed the squeeze cage it was kept in after it entered the tiger’s current natural environment in a 10,000 sq ft enclosure at Manthirimattam on Sunday night. “We shifted the big cat from the squeeze cage to the ambulance on Monday morning after giving it mild sedation. Manomboli forest range officer K Giridhar along with Vandalur zoo veterinary assistant surgeon K Sridhar and forest veterinary officer E Vijayaragavan are with the animal,” said Bhargav Teja, adding that they have been taking care of the abandoned tiger since September 21, 2021. “We will give it water once every two to three hours and if required, feed it as well. It depends on the behaviour of the animal. We have beef and chicken ready. We also have medical kits ready to provide emergency treatment if the animal falls sick during the journey,” said one of the veterinarians. “The animal has had more contact with humans in the last two-and-a-half years. Also, it was operated for canine surgery. The animal does not have the right canine on its upper part, which makes it not suitable for hunting aggressively like other tigers if released into the wild. It is a great achievement for us to take care of the animal, its health has improved a lot since we rescued it,” said a senior forest department official.