Forest officials decide against release of "errant tiger" due to physical deformities

Lakhimpur Kheri: The captured "errant tiger" that killed five people in less than 40 days, was shifted to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoo in Lucknow, the officials reported to PTI.

"The errant tigress, which was found to be responsible for the recent human casualties in Manjhra Purab forest area, was shifted to Lucknow zoo on Friday night under the supervision of a veterinary expert," said Akash Badhawan, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

It was noticed that the tiger that got captured from the Manjhra Purab forest area of Dudhwa buffer zone on June 29 night, was forced to attack humans as easy prey due to physical deformities that restricted it from hunting its natural prey. Hence, the tigress is not fit to get released in the forest.

"The captured tigress is estimated to be around nine years old and has developed physical deformities. "Her left canines were found broken and worn out, incapacitating her from hunting her natural prey species in the wild and forcing her to attack upon humans as easy prey," said Sanjay Kumar Pathak, field director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.

Mahesh of Dumera village, Kamlesh of Shahpur Padhuva, the local priest of Khairatia Mohan Das, Suraj Singh of Nayapind-Khairatia, and Minder Kaur of Kharatia were the five people killed between May and June. The killings happened in the Manjhra forest area around Khairatia village.

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