HYDERABAD: A wandering tiger killed another calf in Basanthapuram village of Rajapet mandal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district on Tuesday morning, taking the number of cattle killed to five since January 17 and deepening fear among villagers.
Forest officials said the latest kill involved a calf belonging to Katkuri Ramesh. The big cat has continued to roam across the same region despite repeated assurances that it would return to its original habitat.
The tiger is believed to have entered Telangana from Maharashtra in mid-January. Since then, it has killed calves in Ibrahimpuram, Ralla Jangaon, Dattaipally, Gandamalla and now Basanthapuram, indicating an expanding range from Turkapally mandal into Rajapet mandal.
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Deputy range officer Javed Hussain told The Times of India that the animal likely travelled from the Tadoba landscape in Maharashtra in search of a mate. "From September to January, it is the mating period for tigers. This tiger moved through areas such as Kamareddy, Siddipet and Narsapur but did not find a female," he said.
He added that cooler weather may be prolonging the tiger's movement. "Once the weather changes, its hormonal activity will subside and it is expected to return," Hussain said.
Forest officials have traced pugmarks from the outskirts of Nemila up to the Lakshmakapalli forest area, confirming the tiger's continued presence in the district. With five cattle kills in just over two weeks, villagers remain on edge and are restricting movement after evening hours.