Tiger of Segur
Encyclopedia
The Tiger of Segur was a young man-eating
male Bengal tiger
. Though originating in the District of Malabar-Wynaad below the south-western face of the Blue Mountains
, the tiger would later shift its hunting grounds to Gudalur
and between Segur and Anaikutty. It was killed by Kenneth Anderson
, who would later note that the tiger had a disability preventing it from hunting its natural prey.
Upon hearing that the tiger frequently traversed the ten miles of forest road between Segur and Anaikutty, Anderson decided to sit up on the route connecting the two places, though for a whole week, he saw no sign of the tiger. He was informed on the seventh day that a man had gone missing on the foothills of the Nilgiris, though upon finding his body, it turned out that the culprit had been a sloth bear
.
child was taken in Segur whilst taking a midday meal to his father. After convincing the boy’s father to leave the body as bait for the tiger, Anderson moved it to a densely covered location a few yards from the kill site in order to hide himself better in the tiger’s vicinity. By 9 in the evening, the tiger returned, but it left soon after without touching the corpse, possibly having become suspicious of how its victim had been moved.
infection.
and quickly took cover. After 10 minutes of waiting, the tiger revealed itself at the river’s edge. Taking aim, Anderson fired his .405 Winchester
at the tiger’s left shoulder, killing it.
Upon examining the carcass, Anderson noted that the tiger had one eye, the other having been badly damaged by a shotgun slug
.
Man-eater
Man-eater is a colloquial term for an animal that preys upon humans. This does not include scavenging. Although human beings can be attacked by many kinds of animals, man-eaters are those that have incorporated human flesh into their usual diet...
male Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
. Though originating in the District of Malabar-Wynaad below the south-western face of the Blue Mountains
Nilgiris (mountains)
The Nilgiri , often referred to as the Nilgiri Hills, are a range of mountains with at least 24 peaks above , in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu state at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala states in Southern India...
, the tiger would later shift its hunting grounds to Gudalur
Gudalur (Nilgiris district)
Gudalur , , , is a panchayat town and taluk in Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is said that Gudalur gets its name from Koodal + uru, meaning the Meeting Place.-Overview:...
and between Segur and Anaikutty. It was killed by Kenneth Anderson
Kenneth Anderson (writer)
Kenneth Anderson was an Indian writer and hunter who wrote many books about his adventures in the jungles of South India.- Background :...
, who would later note that the tiger had a disability preventing it from hunting its natural prey.
First hunt for the tiger
Kenneth Anderson commenced his hunt for the tiger after it had killed a girl collecting water from the Segur river, and a herdsman a week later at Anaikutty.Upon hearing that the tiger frequently traversed the ten miles of forest road between Segur and Anaikutty, Anderson decided to sit up on the route connecting the two places, though for a whole week, he saw no sign of the tiger. He was informed on the seventh day that a man had gone missing on the foothills of the Nilgiris, though upon finding his body, it turned out that the culprit had been a sloth bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
.
Second hunt for the tiger
Two days later, a report came in from Mahvanhalla stating that a woman had been taken by the tiger near a bridge by which the main road to Tippakadu crossed the Mahvanhalla stream. Anderson went deep into the surrounding jungle with a guide and eventually found pieces of the woman, which he took back to her husband for burial. Anderson tied a buffalo bait near the Segur river, but he did not expect the tiger to attack anytime soon after having already eaten, so he did not spend the night in the vicinity. He was surprised the next day when the buffalo was killed, and immediately set up a hunting platform above the carcass. Though the tiger called out through the night, it never made an appearance.Third hunt for the tiger
Two days later, just as Anderson considered leaving for Bangalore, a BadagaBadagas
The Badagas are an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, southern India. Their language is Badaga.-Traditional Attire:In olden days the Badagas used to wear distinctive dresses...
child was taken in Segur whilst taking a midday meal to his father. After convincing the boy’s father to leave the body as bait for the tiger, Anderson moved it to a densely covered location a few yards from the kill site in order to hide himself better in the tiger’s vicinity. By 9 in the evening, the tiger returned, but it left soon after without touching the corpse, possibly having become suspicious of how its victim had been moved.
Fourth hunt for the tiger
Seven days later, the tiger killed the 18 year old son of a Forest Guard stationed at Anaikutty at 9 a.m. Accompanied by the boy’s father, Anderson investigated the scene of the disappearance and found the boy’s cap and slippers discarded. Following the tiger’s trail with Karumba trackers, the group entered the jungle and found the boy’s corpse. There had evidently been a great struggle, as the surrounding vegetation had been crushed, and the tiger had finished the boy with a skull crushing paw swipe. Anderson set up a platform above the body, but was thwarted that night after a downpour of rain and a malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
infection.
Death and post-mortem
After three days recovering, Anderson went to the Segur river with his Karumba trackers, when suddenly they heard the alarm call of a sambar deerSambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
and quickly took cover. After 10 minutes of waiting, the tiger revealed itself at the river’s edge. Taking aim, Anderson fired his .405 Winchester
.405 Winchester
The .405 Winchester is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced in 1904 for the Winchester 1895 lever-action rifle. It was the most powerful lever-action cartridge available until the .444 Marlin was introduced in 1964, and was highly regarded by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt during his safari...
at the tiger’s left shoulder, killing it.
Upon examining the carcass, Anderson noted that the tiger had one eye, the other having been badly damaged by a shotgun slug
Shotgun slug
A shotgun slug is a heavy lead projectile, that may have pre-cut rifling, intended for use in a shotgun and often used for hunting large game. The first effective shotgun slug was introduced by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1898, and his design remains in use today...
.