KAMAREDDY : What began as a search for tiger tracks turned into a window into Kamareddy’s thriving wilderness. When pugmarks identified as belonging to tiger S-12, believed to have migrated from Khanapur in Nirmal district, were found deep in the forest, officials set up strategic camera traps to track its movement.
Though the elusive big cat is yet to be captured on camera, the lenses revealed something just as striking: the district’s rich biodiversity. Over 30 species of wildlife and birds have been recorded so far, including wild boar, bears, and leopards, some of which were spotted alarmingly close to human settlements, preying on cattle.
The district has nearly two lakh acres of forest cover, and forest officials say the wildlife population here has been steadily increasing. DFO PV Rama Krishna calls it a sign of healthy forest protection, noting that the tiger may still be in the process of establishing its territory.
“The increase in natural water bodies and careful conservation efforts have encouraged free movement of wildlife,” he says. “The presence of the tiger and other species shows this forest is very much alive.”