Tigress Attacks Zoo Supervisor in Thiruvananthapuram

Fast Summary

• A supervisor at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo was injured after an unexpected attack by a Royal Bengal tigress on Sunday morning.
• the six-year-old tigress, named Babitha, struck at the supervisor, Ramachandran, through the cage bars while he was cleaning the cage.
• Ramachandran sustained a head injury and received four stitches after being treated at two hospitals.He was discharged in the evening.
• Zoo authorities stated that the tigress had been relocated to the zoo from Wayanad by the Forest Department as part of rehabilitation efforts. It is housed in a cage instead of a natural enclosure and has no prior history of violent behavior since arriving at the zoo.
• An emergency meeting was held following this incident to instruct staff about maintaining safety protocols around cages; another review meeting chaired by higher officials is scheduled for Monday.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This incident underscores critical concerns related to staff safety in zoological facilities that house rehabilitated wild animals. Though classified as minor, such incidents highlight operational risks when handling wildlife kept under human care in captivity or cages. The emergency instructions issued post-event suggest an acknowledgment of gaps in preventive measures and safety training among zoo personnel.

The fact that Babitha lacks prior violent behavior makes this case more indicative of instinctive animal responses rather than ongoing behavioral issues with this particular tiger.Focused discussions during follow-up meetings could explore additional training for staff or improvements in cage design to mitigate risks further-ensuring both animal welfare and human safety remain paramount moving forward.

Read more: Published – July 27, 2025 09:23 pm IST