NIZAMABAD: For the first time in Nizamabad district, forest officials have tracked the movements of a tiger in the Sirikonda forest area. Over Friday and Saturday, teams collected pug‐mark samples and other evidence near water tanks deep in the forest. Their joint efforts, by forest staff, animal trackers, and NGOs, revealed that a male tiger, designated “S12” in the former Adilabad district, has entered Nizamabad via Jagtial and Rajanna Sircilla districts.
Officials believe S12 has been roaming the Kodimyala and Vemulawada forest ranges in Jagtial and Rajanna Sircilla for the past five months in search of a mate. More recently, his pug marks were found in Thatipally and Jinigyala beats of Sirikonda, and in the Kammarpally range. Local fishermen first spotted his tracks at the Mallamkunta, Thontlakunta and Jinigyala tanks near the Nizamabad–Rajanna Sircilla border and alerted the forest department.
Armoor divisional forest officer M. Bhavani Shankar and Sirikonda range officer B. Ravinder led the field teams to collect evidence and map S12’s route. They have issued an advisory to residents of Sirikonda mandal, holding village meetings on Saturday in Tellavalugu Thanda, Thatipally, Jinigyala, Pandimadugu and Cheemanpally.
Villagers were urged to remain vigilant, especially when working in nearby fields, and to avoid setting up electric wiring that could injure wildlife. They were also instructed to report any signs of tiger movement immediately. Over the next 10 days, forest officials will continue monitoring S12’s movements throughout Nizamabad district.
