Tiger spotted in Buradakota Hills Reserve Forest

Kakinada: A tiger has been spotted in the Buradakota Hills Reserve Forest area in Prathipadu mandal of Kakinada district. A farmer from Bapannadara village reported to forest officials on December 7 that a tiger had killed and eaten his calf.

Acting swiftly, forest department officials inspected the area over the weekend and confirmed tiger pugmarks.

District Forest Officer D Ravindranath Reddy stated that four trap cameras were installed immediately after receiving the information from the farmer. However, no tiger activity was recorded on the cameras over the next two days. Officials suspect the tiger might have migrated from the Rajavommangi forest to the Eleswaram Reserve Forest area.

Despite the difficult terrain and lack of access to the Buradakota Hills, forest officials reached the area and are making efforts to locate the tiger.

The tiger is believed to be roaming across villages such as Darapalli, Kondapalli, Bapannadara, Buradakota, Vanthada, Lingamparthi, Bhadravaram, Siripuram, Peravaram, Konda Thimmapuram, Podurupaka, Pandavulu Palem, Taduvai, Pedamallapuram, Velangi, Anumarthi, Avelthi, and Vondregula.

Villagers have been advised to protect their livestock by keeping them away from forest fringes and to avoid sending animals into forested areas for grazing. Residents are urged to avoid venturing out alone and to always move in groups.