Andhra Pradesh: Pugmarks, sighting of tiger put forest officials in a fix

We cannot conclude anything unless we get visual confirmations, says DFO

The pugmarks found at S. Kota in Vizianagaram district recently.

The reported detection of pugmarks which resembles that of a tiger in Srungavarapukota (S. Kota) of Vizianagaram district has put the forest officials in a fix. They are now in a dilemma whether it is the same big cat which is roaming in the forests spreading between East Godavari and Vizianagaram districts.

The reported death of a cow and pugmarks found near Aithangapalem village in S. Kota on the Vizag-Araku road and the reports pertaining to sighting of a tiger near the Anakapalli-East Godavari border in the forests close to the Tandava reservoir have put the forest officials on their toes.

“There has been no confirmation that the pugmarks found at S. Kota were that of a tiger. As the ground was wet, it could not be confirmed whether the pugmarks were of a leopard or a tiger. However, we have set up camera traps and watching them closely. No images have been captured in the camera traps so far. We cannot conclude anything unless we get some visual confirmations,” Visakhapatnam DFO Ananth Shankar told The Hindu.

Moreover, the officials say that it is not possible for a tiger to cover the distance of around 200 km between the Tandava area and S. Kota in two or three days.

“If the ground evidence corroborates with the sightings or pictures, only then we can confirm whether it is the same tiger roaming in two different places,” said Mr. Ananth Shankar.

The forest officials say that the tiger sighted in East Godavari is not recorded in their list and it could be an offspring that has become a sub-adult tiger now.

The tiger sighted in East Godavari is a sub-adult and this is the time, when they come out of their mother’s fold to hunt for themselves, said the officials.

The camera traps have reported some basic evidence of the presence of tigers. But the official confirmation is awaited.

VisakhapatnamMeanwhile, residents of Kotauratla village in Anakapalli district complied that a buffalo was probably killed by a tiger on Wednesday. The forest officials from East Godavari and Visakhapatnam visited the site and inspected the carcass. They also reportedly found pugmarks.