Forest dept takes up combing operation for tigress after three cubs found abandoned

CHAMARAJANAGAR: The Forest department has launched a combing operation for a tigress after three of its cubs were found separated in the Biligiriranganatha Swamy Hills (BRT) Tiger Reserve. The forest department is conducting a search operation using tranied elephants and camera traps to locate the mother tiger.

It is said that some coffee estate workers first spotted the tiger cubs and took photos and videos using their vehicle’s headlights. It is suspected that the mother tiger might have left the cubs after seeing the humans and may have been disturbed by the powerful lights.

The cubs were spotted on the Punajanur-Bedaguli road and over 50 forest officials are involved in the search, but so far, they have not found any signs of the mother tiger. The Forest department has come under criticism for relocating the cubs to the Mysuru Koorgalli Wildlife Centre instead of leaving them in their natural habitat.

Environmentalist Punajanur Doreswamy has accused the Forest department of covering up the truth and has questioned why action has not been taken against the coffee estate workers who allegedly disturbed the cubs. He pointed out that the Forest department relocated the cubs without considering the possibility of the mother tiger returning to care for them.