4 migrated tigers return to original habitat after failure to get prey

Adilabad: The four migrated tigers returned to their original habitat, the Thippeshwar Tiger Reserve, since they did not get prey in the Gollaghat area in Bheempur mandal -- where project works were currently ongoing.

A tigress and its three cubs had entered Adilbad thrice by crossing River Penganga from the Thippeshwar reserve last year but beat a retreat.

Construction activity was on in the Pippalkoti reservoir in the Gollaghat Tamsi area where the Korata- Chanaka barrage is being built on Penganga.

Field-level forest staff found pug marks of these tigers near the river, indicating that they reentered their original habitat. The Adilabad forest staff set up two camps where tiger movement was found and advised the villagers and farmers against any activity that would harm the tigers.

Wildlife enthusiasts said it was high time for the Adilabad and Thippeshwar forests staff to create a prey-base in the area to return the tigers to the same area and facilitate their move towards the Kawal tiger reserve.

Local farmers heaved a sigh of relief and moved freely in their areas after coming to know the migrated tigers have left the area and crossed into Thippeshwar. However, forest staff says there is no reserve forest in the area and the tigers were moving into the private agricultural lands and staying in caves on the banks of River Penganga.

According to the forest staff, there existed a life threat to the tigers since farmers were setting up live electric wires to protect their standing crops from wild animals.

Tiger conservation experts say that there was no coordination between the forest staff of Adilabad and the Thippeshwar tiger reserve. Otherwise, the migrated tigers would have become resident tigers there, the last year. One must study the reasons as to why the tigers migrated into the area and returned to their original habitat within no time, they say.