NSTR under scanner as 22 tigers go missing from latest camera-trap exercise
HYDERABAD: Twenty-two tigers recorded during the 2022 All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) and an unofficial census in 2023-24 have not appeared in the latest camera-trap exercise at the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra Pradesh. Multiple sources say the missing animals have raised concerns about possible organised poaching.
Sources told Deccan Chronicle that the 22 tigers did not appear in the Phase IV monitoring for the 2026 All India Tiger Estimation. Camera traps had photographed these animals during the 2022 national estimation and again in an unofficial tiger census carried out by NSTR officials in 2023-24.
Two tiger deaths raise fresh concerns
The missing tigers came to light after two tiger deaths in the reserve within three days. Forest staff found one tiger dead in the Nandikotkur forests of Nandyal district on July 28, a day before International Tiger Day. They found another tiger dead with its legs missing in the Racharla forest beat of the Gundlakamma range in Markapuram district on July 31.
Sources believe the disappearance of 22 tigers points to serious gaps in monitoring and protection inside the reserve.
“We fear there is no effective tiger monitoring or protection in NSTR. The failure to capture images of 22 tigers during the latest camera-trap exercise suggests organised poaching rather than the animals moving elsewhere,” a source said.
2021 case cited as warning
Sources also pointed to a 2021 incident in the Nandyal range. They alleged that a tiger died after electrocution. They claimed some forest department staff later dumped the carcass in a canal to make the death appear accidental, even though tigers are strong swimmers. Authorities suspended five forest department personnel for allegedly trying to hide the actual cause of death.
Another source urged the National Tiger Conservation Authority to step in and order a detailed investigation into the missing tigers.
Leadership changes under scrutiny
Sources said the reserve has had four field directors over the past two years. They also alleged that political pressure affected decisions related to the reserve.
The official tiger population in NSTR increased from 48 in the 2018 All India Tiger Estimation to 58 in the 2022 survey. Officials later reported that the population reached 87 in 2024.
The latest camera-trap exercise failed to capture images of 22 previously identified tigers. Sources fear the official tiger count could fall when authorities release the 2026 All India Tiger Estimation results.
Sources also recalled a nationwide tiger poaching investigation in March 2025. Investigators reportedly traced digital transactions worth about ₹8 crore, including one transaction linked to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.
