Bhubaneswar: Wildlife movements across the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border have put forest authorities on high alert with two separate Royal Bengal Tigers being tracked across southern parts of the state within days of each other.
While relief came to border hamlets in Malkangiri district after DFO Sai Kiran DN via telemetry tracking confirmed that a radio-collared tiger from Papikonda National Park has crossed back into Andhra Pradesh, where it is currently roaming about 7 km past the Odisha border, concern shifted nearly 200 km away to Koraput’s Semiliguda forest range following fresh sightings and pugmarks of another big cat.
Since Koraput has no resident tiger population, forest officials have launched a detailed investigation to trace the second animal’s corridor, with early speculation pointing toward the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh. Odisha’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Prem Kumar Jha, noted that monitoring the uncollared Semiliguda tiger presents a tougher challenge than the telemetry-tracked Motu tiger, requiring extensive ground surveillance and dedicated field teams.
Koraput Divisional Forest Officer Sidharth Jain also confirmed that the department has stepped up surveillance in full accordance with National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines. Rapid Response Teams and specialized field staff have been deployed to map the tiger’s movements and secure the region.
Meanwhile, public address systems are broadcasting safety advisories across fringe villages, urging residents to avoid dense forest patches during dawn and dusk, refrain from disturbing the animal, and immediately report any fresh tracks or unusual sightings to local forest personnel.