Special teams deployed for safe capture of tiger

Rajamahendravaram: The Forest Department has intensified monitoring and field operations for the safe capture of a tiger that has been moving through the Papikonda forest landscape and nearby areas in East Godavari district, while the State government has urged people in forest fringe villages to remain alert.

According to the Forest Department, the young male tiger, aged around three years and identified as U93603-CIEG, entered AP from the adjoining Telangana tiger landscape in January this year. The big cat was initially captured at Kurmapuram village in Konaseema district on February 6 and shifted to the Animal Rescue Centre in Visakhapatnam for medical examination and observation. A State-level Expert Committee comprising representatives from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), WWF-India, wildlife biologists, veterinary experts and senior forest officials later recommended the tiger’s release into Papikonda National Park in the Rampachodavaram Division after assessing habitat suitability, prey availability and long-term conservation prospects. The tiger, fitted with a radio collar for continuous tracking, was released near Kondamodalu in Papikonda National Park on February 14.

Forest officials said the tiger has since been under round-the-clock monitoring through satellite radio telemetry, VHF tracking, camera traps, drone surveillance and intensive field patrolling. Monitoring data showed that the tiger has mostly remained in dense forest and hilly terrain and has been largely nocturnal in its movements.

Chief Conservator of Forests, Rajahmundry circle, Dr Jyothi Thullimelli, said there had been no untoward incident involving human casualties since the tiger’s release. However, occasional cattle kills have been reported in some villages, for which compensation has been disbursed as per government norms.