Lakshettipet: The recent reported movements of a tiger and a leopard in the forests near Lakshettipet area of Telangana's Mancherial district have alarmed villagers in the surrounding areas, as well as forest officials.
Sources said that over the past ten days, officials have been tracking a tiger’s path, which appears to be moving between Hanmantupalli in Lakshettipet mandal and the Dharmaram beat in Hajipur mandal based on its footprints.
In a separate incident, on October 27, a leopard attacked a herd of sheep in the Buggagutta forest area in Hajipur mandal, killing two sheep. Then, on Sunday, a tiger killed three cows in the Medaram section of the range, further intensifying local concerns.
Forest Department on Alert
In response to the increased wildlife activity, forest officials have ramped up vigilance in the Lakshettipet range. Officials said that surveillance cameras have been installed along the tiger’s likely paths to monitor its movements closely, and authorities are periodically warning villagers about the presence of these animals. Precautionary measures are being taken to ensure both wildlife conservation and the safety of local communities.
The big cat sightings have created panic among the villagers, particularly herdsmen, who are avoiding trips into the forested areas due to the threat posed by the tiger.
Tracking Based on Footprints
Initially, villagers believed a tiger was responsible for last month’s sheep attack, but forest officials later confirmed it was a leopard, identifying its footprints. They have also determined that a tiger from the Jannaram forest area has been traversing through Lakshettipet for the past two weeks. Officials said that on Monday morning, fresh tiger footprints were discovered in the Dharmaram beat area of Hajipur mandal, confirming the tiger’s continued presence. Although officials initially speculated the tiger might travel from Dharmaram to Asifabad’s Kumuram Bheem forest, it seems the animal has been circling back to the area.
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