Fear of tiger in Gudari forest of Rayagada, Odisha

Berhampur: Panic spread in villages around Gudari forest in Rayagada district after the carcass of a deer allegedly killed by a tiger was recovered. As soon as the forest department received information about partially burnt soil in Tembaguda village on Tuesday morning, Gudri forest guard Dilip Patnaik and his team reached the spot. A medical veterinarian conducted the post-mortem of the carcass, while tiger footprints were found at the spot.

Patnaik stressed the challenges faced in tracking tiger movements in the dense forest and urged local people to avoid adventurous solos and keep domestic animals in more secure places. The tiger, initially spotted in Gajapati district, has now entered the forests of Rayagada and Kandhamal districts, causing a major concern in the surrounding communities. The tiger is believed to have entered Maharashtra through Gajapati district in October, and has been linked to several incidents of cattle killing.

The unpredictable path of the tiger has posed challenges for the forest officials, with pug tracks recently being found in the forest boundaries adjacent to the Baliguda Cordillera in Kandhamal district. Gudari forest guards assured that forest detectives are closely monitoring the situation to guarantee the safety of residents.