First patient of animal hospice in
Wayanad sanctuary convalescing
Injured tiger was captured from human settlement in March
E.M. Manoj
KALPETTA
An injured tiger, the first ani-
mal which was admitted to
the animal hospice and pal-
liative care unit for big cats
in the Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary (WWS), is reco-
vering and may soon be re-
leased back into the wild.
Aged around 12, it was
captured on March 9 from a
human settlement at Kalli-
yottu in Mananthavady mun-
icipality under the North
Wayanad forest division af-
ter it had triggered panic
among residents. When all
efforts of forest personnel to
send it back into the forest
had gone in vain, veterinar-
ians captured the animal by
firing tranquillizer darts. La-
ter, the predator was shifted
to the animal hospice and
palliative care unit for
treatment.
The animal had an injury
The tiger undergoing
treatment at the palliative
care unit. E.M. MANOJ
*
on the joint of its right fore-
limb which it apparently sus-
tained after a fight 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.
“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 ca-
pacity is yet to be restored.
Moreover, one of its canines
was broken, he added.
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 conflict with
another tiger for territory is
very high. Once it recovers it
would be either shifted to a
zoo or to the wild as per the
directive of the Chief Wil-
dlife Warden, he said.
Nobody would be allowed
to visit the hospice, except
veterinarians and two work-
ers, to reduce the animal’s
contact with humans, he
said. The unit has been set
up on the premises of Vana-
lakshmi, an abandoned pep-
per plantation of the Forest
department near Pachadi, at
a cost of ₹1.12 crore.