Forest Dept Steps Up Surveillance After Leopard Poaching in Kawal Tiger Reserve

Adilabad: The forest department has intensified measures to protect wildlife in the Kawal Tiger Reserve following a recent leopard poaching incident and rising temperatures.Officials said wild animals face increased risk during summer as they move towards water sources and occasionally enter nearby habitations. Poachers are suspected of placing traps near water bodies to target antelopes and other animals. Additional precautions are being taken in the Kagaznagar forest division and across the reserve.Forest staff have increased monitoring of wildlife movement and are focusing on ensuring availability of drinking water within forest areas. Camera traps have been installed at water bodies and saucer pits to record animal movement and deter poaching.Footage from camera traps in the Thallapet forest range has recorded movement of wild pigs, leopard, porcupine, wild bear and deer at water sources.Range officer Sushma Rao said monitoring through camera traps helps track wildlife movement and assess population and behaviour. She said precautionary measures were being taken to ensure safety of animals.In a related development, police in Jannaram seized around 30 crude bombs from bushes on the outskirts of Badampalli village on April 19. The explosives came to light after a buffalo was injured while grazing.Police suspect the crude bombs were being used by poachers to target wild animals, particularly wild boars, in areas around the reserve and along the Godavari river.Earlier, a leopard was killed by poachers in the Utla forest area of Thallapet Range in the second week of March. Forest officials seized 13 nails and other remains of the animal and arrested three accused — Modthe Venkatesh, Modthe Srinivas and Vanaparthi Srikanth — in connection with the case.The department said surveillance and anti-poaching measures have been strengthened across vulnerable zones following the incident.



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