Beed, Oct 19 (PTI) A tiger was spotted in Maharashtra’s Beed after nearly a century following a long trek across multiple districts from the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, a forest official said on Monday.
The four-year-old big cat was captured on camera traps in the Brahmgaon forest range of Ashti tehsil in August before it moved toward Patoda tehsil, Range Forest Officer Amol Munde said.
He said the big cat, weighing around 200 kg, set out from the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal in 2023. It traversed Chandrapur, Dharashiv, Latur, and Ahilyanagar districts before entering Beed, where camera traps captured its movement in the Brahmgaon forest range on August 20.
According to data recently collected from the camera traps, it roamed the forests of Ashti and Patoda tehsils in September, and later moved toward the Kari area near Barshi in Solapur district, Munde said.
The official noted that the sighting is significant as it marks the first recorded presence of a tiger in the Ashti and Patoda forest areas since the 1910s and 1920s.
He noted that tigers settle down when they find favourable territory, adding that portions of Ashti, Patoda, and Beed tehsils offer suitable conditions for the movement of big cats.
Forest officials have assured that tigers generally keep their distance from human settlements and there is no immediate reason for residents to panic.
However, as a precautionary measure, the forest department has issued an advisory urging villagers and livestock owners to avoid entering dense forest areas and hilly stretches frequented by the wild animal.
Munde appealed to the public to remain cautious, follow safety guidelines, and cooperate with monitoring teams.
The tiger’s movement across multiple districts highlights the importance of protecting forest corridors and natural habitats that allow wildlife to disperse in search of suitable territories. PTI COR ARU
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