CHENNAI: Calls have been raised for continuous monitoring of a suspected white tiger spotted in the Avalanche forest area near Ooty in the Nilgiris district, nearly eight years after similar sightings were reported in the region.
The Avalanche forest range, a popular tourist destination in the Nilgiris, is known for its rich wildlife population, including tigers, leopards and bears. In 2018, a wildlife photographer from Bengaluru captured images of two white tigers in the area and shared them with forest department officials.
The photographs, which reportedly showed four tigers including two white tigers moving together, surprised officials and prompted the forest department to install automatic monitoring cameras at more than 15 locations across the forest area.
However, despite continued surveillance efforts, the movement of the white tigers was not recorded again, leading officials to believe that the animals may have migrated to another forest region.
White Tiger
In 2021, reports emerged claiming that white tigers had been seen near the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board residential quarters on the road leading to the Avalanche power station. However, no evidence was found to confirm the sightings.
Recently, local residents recorded a video showing what appeared to be a white tiger walking along a hill slope in the Avalanche forest area. In the footage, the animal is seen standing amid thorny bushes for some time before crossing the hill. The video has since gone viral on social media.
Following the latest sighting, wildlife enthusiasts have urged the forest department to intensify monitoring efforts and ensure the animal’s protection. While two white tigers were reportedly spotted in 2018, only one animal has now been seen in the recent footage.
Monitoring Cameras
Forest department officials said the video was captured by tourists who visited the area four days ago. Since the footage was taken from a considerable distance, officials said they could not immediately confirm whether the animal was indeed a white tiger. They added that additional monitoring cameras would be installed in the area to verify the sighting.