An adult tiger that had frequently strayed into human settlements and attacked domestic animals was trapped by the Forest department in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala on Monday (December 22, 2025), officials said.

According to forest officials, the presence of the tiger was reported at Kumbalathamon, near Vadasserikara, over the past two months following repeated attacks on domestic animals.

Forest department personnel later installed camera traps and confirmed the presence of the straying tiger.

Officials said the tiger had killed buffaloes, dogs and goats belonging to farms and residences at Kumbalathamon, which is located close to the forest area.

On Sunday, a goat was killed by the tiger, and its carcass was found at an isolated spot near the forest, an official said.

Subsequently, forest officials laid a cage trap with the carcass used as bait near the location where the goat was found dead.

When the tiger returned to consume the carcass, it was trapped in the cage in the early hours of Monday, officials said.

Medical examination

The captured tiger will be shifted to a nearby forest station for a medical examination.

A decision will later be taken on whether to release the animal back into the wild or keep it in captivity, an official said.

Officials clarified that the tiger was not involved in any attacks on humans, though residents in the area were panicked due to frequent incidents of livestock killings.

Published – December 22, 2025 09:33 am IST