Hyderabad outskirts see tiger after 50 years
HYDERABAD: A male tiger has trekked more than 375 km from Maharashtra’s Tippeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary to reach the outskirts of Hyderabad, triggering alerts among forest officials. The animal is believed to be searching for territory or a mate.
375-km journey across Telangana districts
Forest officials said the tiger crossed into Telangana nearly two months ago after traversing the Penganga river near the Maharashtra border. Starting from Both mandal in Adilabad district, it moved through Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagtial, Rajanna Sircilla, Kamareddy and Siddipet districts before unexpectedly changing course and heading towards Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.
Based on pugmarks, officials estimate that the tiger has travelled around 375 km over 60 days. It rests in dense vegetation during the day and resumes movement at night, officials said.
Pugmarks near Yadagirigutta trigger alert
Fresh pugmarks were detected three days ago in the Dattayipalli Reserve Forest in Yadadri district and again on Tuesday, confirming the tiger’s continued presence in the area. The location is just 5 km from the Yadagirigutta temple and about 60 km from Hyderabad.
Forest officials said this is the first time in nearly 50 years that a tiger has ventured so close to Hyderabad. Residents of nearby villages — Dattayipalli, Gandhamalla, Konapur, Veerareddipalli, Ibrahimnagar, Venkatapur and Srinivasapur — have been cautioned.
Farmers have been advised not to visit fields alone, while villagers have been asked to avoid venturing out at night until the tiger’s movement is tracked.
Tiger movement rising across Telangana
Officials said pugmark analysis shows tiger presence in as many as 19 districts across the state. Apart from Kawal Tiger Reserve, Telangana currently has an estimated 6 to 8 tigers across several districts, while Adilabad alone is believed to have around 37.
In Bhadradri Kothagudem district, one tiger has settled in Manuguru for the past eight months, while another has been present in the district for six months. Tigers have also been staying in Eturunagaram for five months and near Laxettipet in Mancherial district for about six months.
Wildlife experts said tigers often undertake long journeys to establish territory or find a female. A tiger typically hunts one large animal a week and may have preyed on 5 to 10 cattle or wild boar during its two-month journey. Officials said recent cattle attack signs were found along the route taken by the animal.
Despite multiple camera traps and cages being installed, the tiger has not yet been captured on camera. Monitoring is being carried out from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests level down to field staff, with 10 to 15 camera traps deployed per division in districts reporting tiger movement.
