Tigress found dead in Nallamala, officials suspect animal trap

The Nallamala forest is spread in Kurnool, Guntur and Prakasam districts in Andhra Pradesh.
A big cat was found dead in Velugodu forest range in Atmakur division
A big cat was found dead in Velugodu forest range in Atmakur division

KURNOOL: In the third incident this year in Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve, a tigress was found dead in the Nallamala forest ranges.The carcass of the big cat was found near a water body in Velugodu range under Atmakur division forest of Nallamala.

According to forest officials, the tigress was aged between four and six. Officials said the tigress might have got caught in a snare that was laid by some persons to catch wild boars or some smaller animals.
“The tigress could manage to get out of the snare but in the process got injuries on its neck. The portion around the neck got infected and it died slowly,’’ officials said.

The tigress might have been trapped some two to three days ago, Markapur divisional forest officer G Vignesh Appavu said. All the parts of the tiger were intact, and officials said that the tiger might have travelled some distance from the snare and succumbed to the infection.

Officials conducted a postmortem and burnt the carcass as per norms, Vignesh Appavu said. This is the third tiger death this year in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NTSR) under Nallamala forests.
A big cat was found dead in Nallamala forest on May 11 under suspicious circumstances. On February 5, 2022, a tigress was found dead near Kandaleru reservoir.

The NSTR is spread over 5,937 km out of which 3,737 km is in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Nallamala forest is spread in Kurnool, Guntur and Prakasam districts in Andhra Pradesh. Though the forest department has fixed camera traps at vantage points to capture the movements of the big cats, sources said poachers and local hunters managed to lay snares and traps to catch animals.

CONTINUING STORY

March 28, 2018: Tigress found dead at Naramamidi Cheruvu

Sept 5: Tigress found dead at Yerra Cheruvu

November 18: Cub found dead at Racharala

April 17, 2019: Tiger found dead on railway tracks near Nandyal

Nov 12, 2021: Tigress found dead on railway track at Chalama

Feb 5, 2022: Tigress found dead near Kandalery reservoir

May 11: Carcass of a tiger found near Bairluty

August 9: Carcass of a tigress found near a water body in Velugodu range

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