ADILABAD: The Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (HYTICOS) conducted the occupancy survey of carnivorous animals in the core and buffer areas of the Kawal Tiger Reserve.
The survey was carried out in April and May to evaluate the suitability of the tiger reserve as a habitat for carnivorous animals.
In the buffer areas, tiger pugmarks were identified in Kagaznagar, Chennur and Adilabad divisions. The movement of tigers is high in these regions due to big cats migrating from the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve by crossing the Pranahita and Penganga rivers of Maharashtra.
In the core area, leopards, bison and other animals were sighted, with pugmarks and direct sightings, especially blackbucks, identified in Thallapet and Indhanpally ranges.
HYTICOS coordinator Anagandhula Venkat said, “We initiated an occupancy survey to assess the presence, population and movements of carnivorous animals in both the core and buffer areas of the Kawal Tiger Reserve.”
HYTICOS researcher Nilanjan Basu led this survey, which involved two researchers, six field assistants and a team of forest officers, including forest range, deputy forest, section and beat officers.
It was carried out in the buffer ranges of Laxettipet, Utnoor, Jodeghat, Tiryani, Dimmadurti and Khanapur, and in the core ranges of Tallapet, Jannaram, Indhanpally, Udumpur, Birsaipet, Kadam, Pembi and Tandra.
In the Jannaram division, forest beats including Tallapet, Mamidipalli, Singarayipet, Paidipalli, Chintaguda, Gonduguda, Mahmadabad, Tapalpur, Kothurpalli, Kishtapur, Dongapalli, Alinagar, Lingapur, Dammannapet, Pathamamidipalli, Chintapalli, Tanimadugu and Dandepalli were covered.
Officials said pugmarks and scat signs of carnivorous animals such as leopards, wild dogs and bears were identified during this survey. Additionally, tiger signs were found in the corridors connected to Maharashtra, such as the Chennur and Adilabad divisions, they added.
Herbivores spotted
Herbivores like bison, nilgai, sambar, wild boar, spotted deer, and chousingha were also observed. Their hoof marks, droppings and direct sightings were recorded. Nilgai and wild boar populations are distributed across the forest area, sambar was found in the hilly regions.