Tiger kills cow at Andhra Pradesh's Podurupaka village

KAKINADA: The tiger, which strayed into human habitat at Kodavali village in Gollaprolu mandal of Kakinada district, killed a cow between Pandavulapalem and Podurupaka late Wednesday night. Forest officials are now shifting the cages and other equipment to catch the tiger to the village where it made the fresh kill.

On May 27, the Forest department confirmed that the tiger had strayed into the human habitations. It preyed on cattle in Prathipadu and Gollaprolu mandals from May 23. It has killed nine buffaloes and a cow so far. It hunted a buffalo at Pushkara Lift Irrigation Scheme pumphouse located between Kodavali and Gollaprolu on May 25. 

Forest officials ensured that the tiger does not get the easy prey, so it may return to the forest from where it ventured out. Subsequently, due to lack of prey at Kodavali and neighbouring villages, it started returning back to the reserve forest area.While on the way, it found a herd of cows and pounced on it.

Now, forest officials are of the view that it is likely to stay put in the area for 3-4 days. If it goes into the forest, the way connects to Rajavommangi, Visakhapatnam and Chhattisgarh forest.So, wildlife experts are of the view that it may start its journey into the forest near Yeleswaram canal. 

On being alerted by local people, the forest officials and the wildlife conservation officials inspected the spot and declared that it was a tiger hunt.The tiger needs prey and water, so it is taking shelter in areas near water bodies. With the tiger on the prowl, villagers of Vommangi, Pothuluru and Serabhavaram in Prathipadu and Gollaprolu mandals are terrified. 

Forest officials have intensified the vigil and shifted the trap cameras from Kodavali in Gollaprolu mandal to Serabhavaram in Prathipadu mandal and started controlling the movement of cattle so as to make the tiger move from the place. 

People of these village have been asked not to venture into forest after 4 pm. District forest officer IKV Raju appealed to people to cooperate with the department in its efforts to enure that the tiger returns to the forest without causing harm to humans.