Tiger from Maharashtra settles in Mancherial; another on the move for territory

A Tiger from Maharashtra has settled in Mancherial forests for over seven months, while another young tiger is roaming Kasipet, prompting tracking efforts and awareness drives to avoid human-wildlife conflict.

Mancherial: A male tiger from Maharashtra has made the forests of Mancherial its new home, bringing cheer to forest officials and wildlife enthusiasts.

According to forest officials, the adult tiger migrated from the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra in search of territory and has now been residing in Mancherial’s forests for over seven months. “It stayed for a while in the Jannaram forest range, located within the core of Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR), before entering the Luxettipet range. It is currently in the Luxettipet range,” an official said.

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Identified as S12, the tiger was first recorded moving between Mandamarri and Luxettipet ranges in November, attempting to find a suitable territory. It appears to have settled in the Luxettipet range, drawn by a favourable habitat and prey availability. Though no fresh pug marks have been found recently, officials believe it is traversing rocky terrain.

On November 4, the tiger killed cattle in the forests of the Muthyampalli section in Luxettipet. Its movements were earlier recorded in the core areas of KTR, and it was first sighted in Tiryani mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district. The tiger is believed to have crossed NH-363 about eight months ago to enter the Mancherial forests.

Forest authorities have deployed CCTV camera traps and trackers to monitor the tiger’s movement. Awareness campaigns were conducted in villages to educate locals about the presence of the tiger and measures to prevent man-animal conflict. Farmers were urged to move in groups, while shepherds were advised to avoid venturing deep into the forest for grazing.

Meanwhile, another tiger, a male sub-adult, has been roaming the forests of Kasipet mandal for over three weeks, sparking panic among locals. It is suspected to have drifted from Maharashtra in search of territory and has killed two calves within 18 days. Three special teams have been formed to monitor its movement, and CCTV cameras have been installed to track the big cat.