Forest department monitoring injured tiger in Udhagamandalam

The forest department is continuing to monitor an injured tiger that has been recuperating inside a private tea estate in Porthi village near Udhagamandalam town over the last two days.

Forest department officials said the animal was found with injuries with those caused due to in-fighting between two large predators, most likely sustained in a fight with another tiger.

The animal was noticed by local residents, who informed the forest department. Staff and officials from the Udhagai South Forest Range said that the animal was being monitored using thermal drones and that it had moved a few hundred feet from where it was last seen on Saturday (January 3).

Officials said as the closest reserve forest was less than a hundred meters from where the tiger is currently being seen, that they expect it to return into the forest by Monday (January 5). “Veterinarians from the forest department are also monitoring the situation. The animal has also shown improvement since yesterday with regard to it being able to move,” said the official.

The forest department also released drone images of the tiger that was recorded on Sunday (January 4, 2026), with the animal resting within tea bushes. They said that the priority was keeping tabs on the animal and ensure that people do not venture close to it to prevent any accidental, negative encounters between itself and people.