Operation on to capture strayed tiger in Andhra

Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), May 31

Andhra Pradesh forest officials continued their efforts to capture a tiger roaming in the area near Pothuluru under Prathipadu mandal of Kakinada district.

Forest personnel engaged in the operation believe that the big cat is resting on a hillock after killing a buffalo.

The animal was not captured on the CCTV cameras installed in the foothills since Monday. The movements were not captured even on the cameras arranged towards the other side on Polavaram canal.

The forest team by District Forest Officer I.K.V. Raju believes that the tiger may come down after finishing the leftover buffalo meat.

Based on the movements recorded earlier, the forest personnel are of the view that the animal is very healthy and it appears to be a Royal Bengal Tiger.

The team is taking all precautions to ensure that the tiger is either captured safely and returns towards the forest.

Ever since the presence of the tiger was confirmed three days ago, fear has gripped people in villages in Prathipadu and adjoining Gollaprolu mandal

Police and Forest Department have barred people's entry on few routes in the region to prevent any untoward incident.

The Forest Department has appealed to people to remain alert till the strayed animal has been captured, or it returned to the wild on its own.

More than 150 forest personnel including officials of Visakhapatnam Zoo are participating in the operation.

The tiger was sighted on a hillock near Pothuluru. The forest officials inspected the pug marks. Officials said it killed a buffalo and dragged it towards the hillock.

The forest officials have installed CCTV cameras at 40 places to capture the movement of the tiger. Traps have also been set as part of the operation to capture it.

Officials said they were following all the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority for the operation.

Villagers had been complaining of an unidentified animal killing their livestock over the past few days. Officials say six buffaloes were killed over the past eight days in Pothuluru, Ommangi, Dharmavaram villages in Prathipadu mandal and Kodavali in Gollaprolu mandal.

The villages are connected with Addatheegala and other neighbouring forests. Forest officials believe the tiger might have strayed into the village in search of prey and water.