Tiger samples sent to CCMB and Meat Institute

In the case of the tigress, hair and other samples were sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) to determine the cause of death.

Hyderabad: The Forest department has sent viscera samples of the tigress and tiger that were found dead at Daregaon in Kaghaznagar for examination to different institutes in the city and are awaiting the reports.

In the case of the tigress, hair and other samples were sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) to determine the cause of death. The tigress was found dead by forest staff on January 6. Though officials said after initial investigation that it could have been killed in a territorial fight with another tiger, they have sent the hair samples found in the mouth of the tigress for further investigation to CCMB.

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Similarly, the viscera samples of the male tiger, which was found dead on January 8, was sent to the Meat Research Institute for further investigation. Preliminary observations by the officials said the tiger could have died to due to poisoning. After the toxicology report is furnished to the department, all the details of chemicals, toxins or poisons used can be known. Generally, it takes about two weeks for these reports to be compiled and furnished to the department, a senior official from the forest department said.

Tiger deaths more in Kawal than in Amrabad reserve

Kawal and Amrabad Tiger Reserves are the two prominent reserves in the State. However, more tiger deaths are reported from Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) than Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) for varied reasons.

Unlike ATR, which has more hilly terrain, KTR has vast plain lands. People cultivate lands in many areas under the KTR limits and there are habitations in the core as well. During migration, tigers tend to attack the cattle near agriculture fields and this does not go well with the local people, said an official.

Compared to KTR, the extent of area under cultivation by people in the ATR jurisdiction is lesser and is limited to a few areas. Though, a few Chenchus live in the core area of ATR, they do not take up cultivation extensively. Wild animals move across the River Krishna easily to get into the Andhra Pradesh limits from ATR, the official explained.

NTCA recommendations to ATR and KTR

The National Tiger Conservation Authority’s Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) team, which inspected both ATR and KTR in November, 2022, had made some recommendations to the Telangana Forest department for effective conservation measures.

Among a few recommendations, the MEE team had suggested setting up a Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) in both ATR and KTR with 112 staff in each unit as was being done in Maharashtra.

The team also wanted the Forest department to explore possibility of increasing number of base camps in the two Tiger Reserves in view of the vast areas covered by the reserves. This apart, the team had specifically suggested closure of one Beedi leaf unit in KTR to reduce pressure on the habitat.

Though measures were initiated for closure of the beedi leaf unit and relocating villagers from the core areas of KTR, the setting up STPF was not financially feasible, officials said.

To begin with, the union government allots some funds for setting up the STPFs but to sustain them on an annual basis was a financial burden on the department. STPFs maintenance include, salaries to the staff, arms and ammunition, vehicles fuel and repairs etc, said the official.

“Save for a few States like Maharashtra and other States, most do not evince interest in STPFs, citing financial implications” he said.