Second Litter of Phalguna Confirmed from Komaram Bheem Asifabad District of Telangana

• First litter was noticed in January 2016 and photographed for the first time in March 2016 

• Second litter was noticed in April 2018 and subsequently photographed on 24th April 2018. In June end we confirmed the litter size to be 3 cubs

• Phalguna has added 7 tigers to Adilabad Landscape

• Efforts  are on to consolidate the Corridor and revive the habitat

• Capacity building of existing staff and posting of trained officers is under way in the corridor area.

• Strict action being taken on poachers laying traps, snares, live wire etc. 

Hyderabad: Kawal was declared as Tiger Reserve in 2012 as it had good potential for hosting and breeding of Tigers. The overall goal of Kawal’s declaration is providing habitat to dispersing tigers from Tadoba Landscape in Maharashtra. The Tiger Conservation Plan, envisioned that suppression of anthropogenic pressures and increasing protection for Kawal will attract the dispersing population of Tigers from the Tiger Reserves in Maharashtra and Chattisgarh. 

Meanwhile, local residents were sensitized on Tiger movement and dissuaded from retaliatory killing in case of cattle kills. Through poster campaigns, meetings and public address systems, a strong message to protect tigers in these areas were initiated by Telangana Forest Department. 

Consistent efforts by Telangana Forest Department, bolstered by involvement of NGO’s, local communities and Public Representatives is yielding good results with Tigress with cubs being recorded regularly on cameras. In early 2016, Tigress Phalguna was spotted with 4 cubs.

In April 2018 local staff noticed a new set of pugmarks of female with cubs. Which was confirmed by Mr. Narsimha Reddy, FDO Kagaznagar and Mr. Ranjeet Naik, DFO Asifabad. Subsequently on April 24th 2018 we could capture another litter was photographed in Kagaznagar Division.

FDPT Sri C Sarvannan observed that “Cubs appear to be healthy and of 7-8 months of age”. The Past history testifies that Phalguna is has successfully raised 4 cubs and added to Adilabad Landscape.  “Camera-trap photos of tiger cubs shows that the Telangana region may have already started hosting a resident population of Tigers, thanks to persistent conservation efforts” says Imran Siddiqui who is also a member of State Board for Wildlife and Tiger Steering Committee. 

Telangana Forest Department has intensified monitoring efforts in Kagaznagar with directions from Head office for better management of Fire and zero tolerance towards encroachments, Poaching or habitat loss. Capacity building of existing staff is being undertaken and posting of trained wildlife officers on priority was being considered.

Mr Munindra, Addl PCCF(WL) said “ The planned effort including surveillance and protection, habitat improvement like creation of waterholes, building of prey-base by release of Spotted Deer, scaling of awareness programme and taking strict measures to remove hunting and trapping devices like live electric line etc are yielding good results. We consider Corridor as extension of Kawal Tiger Reserve and Phase IV of tiger monitoring is being extended in Corridor Areas too”

DFO Ranjit Nayak said that “entire forest staff and basecamp watchers were allotted duties in turns to monitor all the vulnerable areas and they are removing electric snares and monitoring tigers. We have sought support from Superintendent of Police and District Collector of Asifabad who are providing us with consistent support”.

-Press note