Forest staff intensified tracking the movement of a tiger on the state borders. (Image; DC)
Adilabad: The forest staff intensified the tracking of the tiger, suspected of killing a woman and injuring a man in two successive days last week, through 40 camera traps, two drones and nearly 100 field staff along Telangana’s border with Maharashtra in the Kagaznagar forest division in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district on Sunday.
It was reported that that tiger was in the forest area of Itikalpad, five km from the border and could re-enter Maharashtra anytime.
The tiger reportedly killed a goat in Dhanapur and sneaked into forests when a cattle-grazer raised a hue and cry.
Speaking to media personnel, Asifabad district forest officer Neeraj Kumar Tibrewal said, “We believe that the tiger, which killed Morle Laxmi, is moving in villages and not in the forests.” He said the cotton fields had turned into hideouts for tigers.
Villagers of Vempalli, however, wondered why the forest officials did not trap the tiger that killed Morle Laxmi.
Meanwhile, PCCF and chief wildlife warden Elusing Meru and Asifabad DFO Tibrewal visited the places where the tiger was sighted. Meru, who visited Itikalpad, said the tiger could return to the state after going to Maharashtra since the Kagaznagar forest division is a natural corridor.
District forest officials are unsure about the number of tigers in the Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. They say these are ‘transit tigers’ migrating from Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve of Maharashtra and Indravati sanctuary of Chhattisgarh.
Tigers travel for 40-50 km per day in search of a mate from October to February, against 20-25 km in normal days, DFO Tibrewal said.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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