VIZIANAGARAM: A Tiger that has been spreading panic in Vizianagaram killed one more cattle early on Saturday.Forest department officials, after analysing pug marks found near the killed cow, confirmed that the tiger is the same sub-adult male that has been prowling human habitations in five districts since May 23.
The elusive Bengal tiger made its latest kill near Goluguvalsala village in Therlam mandal in the small hours of Saturday, some 15 kilometres away from Allu Palteru village in Badangi mandal, where it had killed a cow on Thursday. In both cases, the cows were tethered in mango orchards on village outskirts.
On being informed of the kill, forest officials from Parvathipuram range visited the village, disposed the carcass and initiated the compensation process in the presence of revenue officials and veterinarians.
The latest kill has left villagers in Therlam and Badangi mandals in fear. Forest officials sounded an alert in Vizianagaram and the neighbouring Parvathipuram-Manyam district. Bengal tigers, classified as ‘endangered, are mostly solitary animals that snooze during the day and hunt at night, and are known to travel large distances.
Meanwhile, the tiger issue was the first on the agenda of a Zilla Parishad general body meeting in the district on Saturday. District forest officer S Venkatesh briefed Deputy Chief Minister (Tribal Welfare) Pidika Rajanna Dora, Minister for Education Botcha Satyanarayana, district collector A Suryakumari and MLAs about the tiger’s movement, kills, and measures taken to capture it.
Venkatesh said footage from a camera trap set near Puligommi village was similar to the one from Kakinada district two months ago. “As per the footage received from Vizianagaram and Kakinada district, we are suspecting that the same adult male Royal Bengal Tiger is roaming from Vizianagaram to Kakinada through the forests of Visakhapatnam, ASR and Anakapalli districts,” he explained.He requested the public to remain vigilant.