Man attacked by tiger, escapes

TNN, Jan 17, 2011, 10.16pm IST

CHAMARAJNAGAR: Even as locals and tribals are demanding that Biligiri Ranganathswamy Hills be declared a tiger reserve, one person sustained injuries in an attack by the big cat.

G Vasantharaju, a resident of a tribal hamlet, was traveling downhill on his two-wheeler, when the tiger attacked him. But he escaped with minor injuries and is admitted to hospital at Yelandur. This is first time that a human has come under attack by the tiger at the forested area, once dominated by slain brigand Veerappan. Someone year ago, a tiger had killed a human at Gopalswamy hills near Bandipur national park.

But wildlife activists said there is no need to worry about tiger attacks, terming Vasantharaju’s incident an isolated case. There is no history of humans being attacked by tigers at B R Hills, said H P Ashwin, a wildlife activist working on a tiger project in the forest area. Tribals are in the forested area but there are no instances of any attack, he pointed out, adding that they do not face any threat.

They said tigers generally don’t become human hunters unless they are too infirm and can’t hunt.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Man-attacked-by-tiger-escapes/articleshow/7306663.cms

http://bigcatrescue.org