Two cows kiled in Ananthagiri Hills as Royal Bengal tiger couple on the prowl

Visakhapatnam: A Royal Bengal Tiger couple roaming the forests in four districts of north coastal Andhra have now moved to Ananthagiri Hills in Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Forest officials concluded this based on sightings of the tigers in the area. One of them killed two cows near Chinnacolony village in Rompilli panchayat of Ananthagiri mandal on Sunday.

Signs of the killing revealed it to be a tiger attack. "We have seen the big cats on the prowl both individually and collectively in Ananthagiri forest for the past few weeks,” said K. Vinod Kumar, DFO of ASR district.

Forest department officials are hopeful of catching the tigers very soon. They have decided to set up a specially designed cage in a week and expect the big cats to walk into the trap.

Recently, a team of wildlife experts visited the forest and analysed the movement and behaviour of the two Royal Bengal tigers. The work on the specially designed cage to trap them will be completed in a couple of days. Some strategic locations have been identified, where movement of the two tigers is more, for setting up the cage.

Forest department officials are of opinion that the two tigers have been moving together owing to the main mating season, which is between November to February.

Following the tiger scare, officials have taken up an awareness drive in villages, urging residents not to venture deep inside the forest with or without their cattle. Elders of villages have asked the district administration to fix street lights for their safety.