Tiger Estimation Reveals Rich Wildlife in Adilabad Forests
High movement of sloth bears and leopards was also reported in the Bheempur, Tamsi and Adilabad forest areas
Adilabad: The rich biodiversity of the erstwhile Adilabad district has been vividly reflected in the recently concluded National Tiger Estimation–2026, with forest officials recording frequent movement of leopards, sloth bears and other wildlife across several forest ranges.
Forest officials said the estimation, conducted for the first time in territorial forest areas, revealed encouraging signs of ecological health, including sightings and pug marks of striped hyenas, besides extensive animal activity. The exercise was carried out on the instructions of Telangana principal chief conservator of forests C. Suvarna to assess biodiversity and identify potential eco-tourism zones.
A striped hyena was directly sighted in the Mavala forests of Adilabad district, while pug marks of another hyena were found at Tanimadugu in the Thallapet forest range of Mancherial district. High movement of sloth bears and leopards was also reported in the Bheempur, Tamsi and Adilabad forest areas.
Adilabad forest range officer Gulab Singh said scats of leopards and sloth bears were found at intervals of nearly 500 metres in several locations, indicating a healthy predator population. He said volunteers and forest staff observed animal movement in Ajjarvajjar of Boath mandal and Harkai forests in Bazarhathnoor mandal as well.
As many as 70 volunteers participated in the survey in Adilabad district. Anand Kumar, a volunteer from Jharkhand, said he heard what appeared to be tiger roars from bushes near the Gollaghat area in Tamsi forests under Bheempur mandal. He added that another volunteer directly sighted a striped hyena in the Mavala forests.
Volunteer Abdullah Hasan from Hyderabad said he sighted deer, nilgai and wild boars during the estimation. He noted that, unlike regular expedition trails, volunteers were taken deep into forest interiors to identify pug marks and assess wildlife presence. He described the experience as rare and enriching, offering insights into forest biodiversity, Adivasi life and encroachments in forest areas.
Forest officials said the findings underline the ecological significance of the Adilabad landscape and reinforce the need for conservation-focused management.