Telangana forest officials mull immobilisation as wandering tiger makes eighth kill

An elusive semi-adult tiger has triggered panic across multiple villages in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district after making its eighth kill, this time in Sharajipet village of Alair mandal. The big cat mauled a cow inside a shed, prompting forest officials to install camera traps and cages.

Hyderabad: Panic gripped several villages of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district after the elusive tiger made its eighth kill in Sharajipet village of Alair mandal on Wednesday morning. Prior to this, the movement of the tiger was reported in Yadadri, Turkapally, Rajapet mandals in the district.

On Wednesday, the big cat killed a cow inside an animal shed on the outskirts of Sharajipet. The incident came to light when the cattle owner visited the shed in the morning and found the cow mauled and partially consumed. 

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“I had tied the cow in the shed and left last night. Today, I returned to the shed around 7 am and found the cow killed. The forest officials asked us not to go to the shed after nightfall as the tiger may return to feed upon the carcass,” said Sridhar, a farmer.

The forest officials, who reached the village and tracked the pug marks of the semi-adult tiger, surmised that the big cat had moved towards Golanakonda village in the mandal. 

“The forest officials checked the pug marks and installed camera traps in the village. The pug marks were traced till a stream and they suspect the tiger crossed the stream and headed towards another village,” said Yadagiri, a villager. However, the forest officials have warned the villagers against moving outdoors after dark.

On Tuesday evening, the tiger had killed a calf at Srinivasapuram village in Alair mandal before moving towards Siddenki village, Jangaon. Pugmarks were later found in a small forest patch near Siddenki.

Following the sightings, forest officials reached the area and installed two cages. Villagers were advised to avoid entering fields early in the morning and to return before sunset, said Siddenki village sarpanch M. Sudhakar.

Tiger movement was again reported near Tangutur village in the early hours of Wednesday. “Local youth noticed the pugmarks and informed the village head. Forest officials have since reached the village,” said a resident, Anil.

The local police have also joined the forest department officials in their efforts. However, their role for now is to prevent the public from visiting the cattle killing spot and prohibit their entry into the forest areas.

The Telangana Forest Department said chemical immobilisation of the tiger will be considered strictly as per the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s, standard operating procedure (SOP).

The officials held a high-level meeting to discuss the movement of the tiger in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Jangaon and Siddipet districts. They said that experts point out that the tiger may either move back towards forested areas or disperse further towards Warangal or Nagarjuna forest landscapes.