Tigress with 3 cubs shuttles between Telangana, Maharashtra

A tigress and her three cubs are continuing to trigger panic among the rural population of Bheempur mandal for the last few days.

Adilabad: A tigress and her three cubs are continuing to trigger panic among the rural population of Bheempur mandal for the last few days.

“The six-year-old big cat and three cubs aged a year belonging to Tipeshwar Tiger Reserve (TTR) of Yavatmal district in Maharashtra entered Telangana by crossing the Penganga river in search of territory three weeks back. It went back to the reserve four days ago and again returned to this region. It is currently residing in the forests of Bheempur mandal,” District Forest Officer P Rajashekhar told ‘Telangana Today.’

---

Forest officials said four animal trackers, 10 base camp watchers, a rapid rescue team, three task force staffers and staffers of the department were deployed to provide a safe passage and to track the movement of the tigress and her cubs. They are taking the assistance of volunteers of non-governmental organisations such as Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in this operation.

Officials have requested the locals to be cautious of the tiger family. They advised the farmers to take up farm activities in groups and to restrict themselves from entering fields after 6 pm. They have also told shepherds not to take cattle deep into the forests and to avoid sudden confrontation with the tigers.

The movement of the tiger family, however, has become a cause for concern to dwellers and farmers belonging to Thamsi (K), Gollaghat, Pippalkot, Nippani, Gunjala, Arli (T), Dhanora, Gubidi, Karanji and some other villages in Bheempur mandal. Farmers are on the edge following the sighting of the quartet in agriculture fields and canals of irrigation projects.

Locals, who are on the edge after the recent killing of a tribal farmer, allegedly by a migrant tiger in Wankidi mandal, and the killing of five cattle in the recent past, have requested the officials to see that tiger family returns to Maharashtra.