Tiger which strayed from Maharashtra roams non-forest areas, keeps officials on toes

Movement of a tiger in non-forest areas has been keeping the whole district administration of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri on the tenterhooks for the past two days. According to the latest updates, it killed a calf at Basanthapuram village of Rajapet mandal in the district.

The calf was tied to a tree on a farmland when it was attacked. The tiger did not partake of the carcass, and is expected to return to it later, sources informed.

Villages around Rajapet and in nearby Siddipet district are in the grip of fear, though the male sub-adult tiger which entered the state from Maharashtra does not have a history of attacking humans since it strayed from the buffer area of the Kawal Tiger Reserve about two months ago. Crossing the Godavari river, the animal on the move has so far travelled in Mancherial, Nirmal, Asifabad, Kamareddy, Siddipet, Sircilla, Karimnagar and other districts.

Officials say that the tiger has been elusive and caught on camera traps only thrice in two months. It is carefully avoiding contact with humans, which is a good sign. Capturing it is not part of the plan now and may be resorted to only under extreme circumstances. “We are closely watching the tiger’s movements and are in touch with experts for directions. Where the animal is moving now, there is no forest, except some small hillocks. This area is not a habitable region for a tiger,” said C. Suvarna, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) of Telangana.

It is being assumed that the big cat is in search of either territory or mate, both of which are not likely to be found where it is roaming now. Tigers are known to walk up to 50 kilometres a day when in search of territory, mate or prey.

“It is making cattle kills as of now, once every week. We are making all efforts to keep the area safe for people as well as for the tiger. Because it is active between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., we have issued public notices through tom-tom, asking people not to venture out at that time. We have told them to keep the cattle tied closer to their homes,” Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri District Collector M. Hanumantha Rao said.

The Forest Department is using thermal drones and camera traps to track the animal, and expert trackers are being brought in to trace the animal’s pug marks, scats and other signs.