Temp Drops To 8ºC In Adilabad , People Fret Over Migrating Tigers
6 tigers moving across district during mating season
ADILABAD: People of the erstwhile Adilabad district are shivering in the chilly weather as temperatures have dropped to 8 degrees Celsius, and they are also alarmed by the movement of tigers migrating from Maharashtra.
It is said that six to seven tigers are currently moving across the district during the mating season. Farmers in particular, and residents in general, are panicked as this coincides with the harvesting period.
The lowest temperatures have been reported in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, with Tiryani mandal recording 8 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures are significantly lower in villages located inside or along the fringes of forests compared to plain areas. Similarly, temperatures drop sharply in villages situated near tanks, water bodies and irrigation projects.
According to sources, two tigers are moving in the Boath forest area, with one shifting towards the Pembi forest area. Three tigers are reported in the Kagaznagar Forest Division, and one each in Dandepalli and Asifabad forest areas.
The tigers are believed to have migrated from neighbouring Maharashtra to the erstwhile Adilabad district in search of mates and suitable habitat.
Anagandula Venkatesh of the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society said around six to seven tigers are currently active in the region, making it a challenging period for animal trackers and forest watchers. He added that farmers are panicking as the movement of tigers coincides with the harvest of cotton, soya and red gram, and even agricultural labourers are afraid to enter the fields for cotton picking due to fear of tiger attacks.
In some villages, cattle owners are taking extra care of their livestock—especially cows and bullocks—by covering them with stitched thick gunny bags to protect them from the cold.
Temperatures are expected to dip further in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial districts in the coming days.
In Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, temperatures may fall to as low as 3 degrees Celsius in Kerameri, Tiryani, Lingapur and Sirpur (U) mandals between December and February.
Farmer Devarao of Kunikasa said residents are facing severe hardships due to the falling temperatures and the movement of tigers in Gadiguda mandal. He added that a recently migrated tiger killed cows along the state border.
