The Kerala Forest Department has launched an investigation into the deaths of three tigers, whose carcasses were discovered in two separate locations within this hill district.
Two of the tigers were found inside the Kurichyad forest range, while the decomposed body of the third was spotted on a coffee plantation under the Vythiri forest division.
Forest officials conducting routine patrols in the Kurichyad area stumbled upon the carcasses of two big cats, while estate workers reported finding the decayed remains of the third tiger within the plantation.
Following the grim discovery, Forest Minister A K Saseendran ordered the formation of a special team to conduct a thorough inquiry and ascertain the exact
cause of the tigers' deaths.
An official statement from the minister's office confirmed that the eight-member investigative team would be headed by K S Deepa, Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle).
"The team will examine all aspects of the incident, including whether there is any mystery surrounding the deaths or any deliberate foul play," said Saseendran in the statement.
Also read: Tiger deaths hit five-year high in January 2025
The minister has directed the team to submit its findings within a month.
The deaths come in the wake of a recent tragic incident where a tribal woman was fatally attacked by a tiger while she was plucking coffee beans.
Efforts by the forest department to tranquillise the predator were underway when it was found dead with injuries two days later.
The Kerala Forest Department has ordered a probe into the deaths of three tigers found in Wayanad. An eight-member special team will investigate the cause of death amidst concerns of foul play.
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