Kurnool: Eight teams have been formed to inquire into the circumstances that led to the death of a three-year-old tigress, whose carcass surfaced at Yerra Cheruvu near Mittapale in Rudravaram forest range in Kurnool district.
Divisional forest officer Siva Sankar Reddy said at Nandyal that officials were examining whether the tigress fell into the tank accidentally or was poisoned.
He said that apart from the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR), tigers were found in Nandyal division comprising areas like Gundlabramheswaram, Chelima, Bandi Atmakur, Nandyal, Rudravaram forests. The moment of tigers is being tracked with the help of 42 trap cameras.
Mr Siva Sankar Reddy said tigers move around in the deep forest in search of water bodies. The way the carcass of the tigress was found suggested that it might have fallen accidentally into the water. He said the tigress had been captured in camera traps in August last and in January this year. Officials conducted a post-mortem at the spot and buried the tigress in the presence of revenue and animal department official as per norms, Mr Siva Sankar Reddy said.
There were suspicions that the death could also have been caused by red sanders smugglers.
Nandyal forest division covers parts of the Seshachalam forest range where red sanders. The Ahobilam tract is known for red sanders. Smugglers from Tamil Nadu sneak into the area and cut the wood to take it to end markets. Smugglers have allegedly tied up with people in Allagadda and Chagalamarri to help them with their trade.
