The tiger, which had moved to Vizianagaram district from the forest areas of Anakapalli district about 10 days ago, has retraced its steps and returned to the Nallagonda reserve forest in K. Kotapadu mandal for the second time.
Chiriki Simhachalam of Chandrayyapeta village, who saw the tiger, informed the forest officials. The tiger gave sleepless nights to the forest officials of Anakapalli district as it spent several days in the forest areas, bordering various mandals like Kasimkota and K. Kotapadu. Several attempts by the officials to trap the elusive tiger failed as the big cat managed to escape. They heaved a sigh of relief after it moved away towards Vizianagaram.
The incessant rain in the forest areas also hampered the efforts of the officials to trap the tiger. Camera traps showed the movement of the big cat and feeding on the cattle after killing it in the previous night. The tiger attacked a cow in the cattle shed of N. Raju of Arle village in the early hours of Monday.
The Nallagonda Reserve Forest extends over an area of about 15 km from Simunapalli of Chodavaram mandal to Sabbavaram mandal. The forest officials said that the big cat might have returned as it did not find a suitable place for its habitat in Vizianagaram district.
The officials informed the people of Chandrayyapeta, Santhapalem, Arle, Gollalapalem and Chintalapalem, through beating of the drums, not to leave their cattle in the open. Forest official Rama Rao said that they would be able to trap the big cat as it was bound to return to feed on its kill.
