ADILABAD: Putting an end to all speculations, the forest officials on Saturday confirmed that the pug marks found near Eesgham village near Kagaznagar town in Kumrambheem-Asifabad district were that of a tiger. Following information given by the villagers, the forest officials visited the spot and came to the conclusion that the pugmarks were that of a tiger cub aged between three and four years old.
They traced the pug marks from Eesgham to Raspelli, Agarguda to the Kadamba forest area. The residents of Raspelli noticed the movement of the tiger and ran home from their fields before informing the forest officials.
Lack of food
According to the officials, tigers are straying out of Thadoba and Thippeshwar tiger reserves in Maharashtra in search of prey. They are moving to the plains and attacking cattle and humans as they are not finding food in their habitations, they said.
Tiger migration is mostly observed from Bela and Narnoor forests into the Asifabad and Khagaznagar forest areas.
Interestingly, the prestigious Kawal Tiger Reserve which was announced in 2012 has not seen the movement of a big cat.
The grasslands being developed in Kawal to attract herbivorous animals, too, has failed.
The officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority have expressed disappointment over this.