Forest officials intensify efforts to capture tiger A2 in Asifabad

The authorities made their first attempt to catch the male tiger, following complaints from the public over their safety in the month of January last.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The officials of the Forest department had once again embarked on a mammoth task of trapping the tiger A2, which developed an aberrant behavior and killed two humans along with several cattle since November last. The increased movement and serial attacks of the tiger has terrorised dwellers of over 30 villages in Bejjur, Penchikalpet, Dahegaon and Chintalamanepalli mandals in Kaghaznagar and Rebbena forest divisions.

The authorities made their first attempt to catch the male tiger, following complaints from the public over their safety in the month of January last. Braving odds, a team of around 150 officials camped at Kandi Bheemanna in Bejjur forest range to capture the territorial animal, to prevent human loss.

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As part of their efforts, experts of wildlife protection belonging to Maharashtra were pressed for accomplishing the mission. Eight machans were erected and two veterinary doctors were roped in to trap the tiger. Nearly 100 CCTV camera traps were installed to track its movement. They, however, suspended temporarily the week-long arduous operation when the carnivore drifted into the wild of neighboring Maharashtra on January 24.

“The stage is set for the second attempt to trap the tiger A2. Fortunately, the big cat was recorded in a CCTV camera trap at an irrigation tank in Bejjur mandal recently. Movement of the carnivore is closely being observed. Plans are being made to administer tranquilizer to the tiger soon once it is located,” a senior official of the Forest department said.

Meanwhile, the authorities released 12 deer in the forests of Kaghaznagar division to satiate hunger of the territorial animal which is indulging in cattle killing at regular intervals. They believe that they would be able to capture the tiger this time as they were adopting more effective strategies than those applied in the past.