Tiger in Siddipet may become Telangana’s first radio-collared big cat
HYDERABAD: Telangana may soon have its first radio-collared tiger, with the state forest department preparing to capture the animal that has been moving across districts for the past four months.
The tiger is currently taking shelter in a small ravine with a stream near Arepalli village in Siddipet district. Officials plan to tranquilise it, fit a radio collar and later release it in a protected forest.
Sources said the tiger appears to have “settled” in an area that has no suitable forest habitat within a 100-km radius. “There is no real forest for the tiger to go to in a 100-km radius. The best decision is to capture it and release it in a proper forest,” a forest department official said.
Once captured, the tiger will be fitted with a radio collar to monitor its movements and study its behaviour.
Cattle kills prompt decision to capture
Officials said at least five cattle kills since Sunday have been attributed to the tiger. It is currently feeding on a cow it had killed and dragged to the ravine.
The animal had earlier moved through Yadadri-Bhongir district before entering Siddipet district. Officials fear that prolonged movement near human habitations could increase the risk of confrontation.
Two forest department teams have been stationed near Arepalli village. Wildlife veterinarians from Nehru Zoological Park and Kakatiya Zoo Park are part of the operation. A team from RESQ Charitable Trust, which includes a wildlife veterinarian, has also joined.
However, officials said capturing the tiger may not be easy. Unlike a recent operation near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, where a rescue team had a clear vantage point to dart a tiger near a cattle shed, the Siddipet animal is in an open area.
“It has so far shown that it wants to be nowhere near humans and darting it will require a clean and clear line of sight. But where it is now, it might not be possible to tranquilise it,” another official said.
NTCA norms bar night-time operations
Under National Tiger Conservation Authority protocols, tranquilisation cannot be carried out at night. If captured, the tiger will be shifted to Nehru Zoological Park for observation for a couple of days before being released in either Kawal Tiger Reserve or Amrabad Tiger Reserve.
Sources said the tiger had earlier spent a few weeks in Kawal but moved south. It is now likely to be released in Amrabad Tiger Reserve, which has suitable habitat and prey base for establishing territory.
Police warn against misinformation
The Siddipet police have urged residents not to believe rumours circulating on social media about the tiger’s movements.
Forest range officer Siddharth Reddy said there had been no fresh kills. “The tiger has not made any fresh kills and has been feeding on its previous kill from two days ago. We urge people not to believe in such rumours and we are keeping a watch on the animal and its movements. It has not left the place where it was yesterday and everything is peaceful,” he said.
Officials reiterated that there was no cause for alarm as the animal remained in the same forested patch for the past two days.
