Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Two male tigers vanish in North Telangana, protection questioned
Two big tigers in North Telangana have gone missing, and people who care about animals are worried.
The first tiger, named S12, was five years old and was last seen near a place called Ramareddy in July 2025.
Before disappearing, it had killed a calf, and someone reportedly sprayed poison on the calf's body.
People think the tiger may have been poisoned, but its body was never found.
The second tiger, named J1, came from another state called Maharashtra.
It was seen in a forest in Nizamabad in April 2026, but then its tracks stopped.
Nobody knows where J1 is now.
This is the first time in more than thirty years that tigers have been seen moving south of the Godavari river.
Animal experts say the forest officers did not watch the tigers closely enough.
They say there were not enough camera traps, drones, or quick responses.
The experts are asking for stronger protection for tigers in the area.
Two male tigers, S12 and J1, have disappeared in North Telangana, raising serious concerns among wildlife experts and conservationists.
S12, a five-year-old tiger, was last spotted near Ramareddy in Kamareddy in July 2025 after killing a calf.
Pesticides were reportedly sprayed on the calf's carcass, raising suspicions of poisoning, though S12's body was never recovered.
J1, a three-and-a-half-year-old tiger that migrated from Maharashtra, was tracked in Nizamabad's Lingal forest in April 2026 before its movements stopped.
Conservationists have questioned the Forest Department's surveillance, alleging gaps in camera-trap monitoring, drone use and response mechanisms.
- Who
- Two male tigers, S12 and J1, along with wildlife experts, conservationists and the Forest Department.
- What
- The disappearance of two male tigers in North Telangana has raised concerns about forest protection and surveillance.
- When
- S12 was last spotted in July 2025; J1 was tracked in April 2026.
- Where
- North Telangana, across Nizamabad, Kamareddy and Jagtial districts, including Ramareddy and the Lingal forest.
- Why
- Suspected poisoning and alleged gaps in the Forest Department's monitoring and response mechanisms.
- Tiger S12
- Five-year-old male, last spotted near Ramareddy in Kamareddy in July 2025
- Tiger J1
- Three-and-a-half-year-old male, migrated from Maharashtra, tracked in Nizamabad's Lingal forest in April 2026
- S12's body
- Never recovered; pesticides reportedly sprayed on the calf carcass it killed
- Districts affected
- Nizamabad, Kamareddy and Jagtial
- Notable event
- Tiger movement south of the Godavari recorded for the first time in more than three decades
- Conservationists' concerns
- Gaps in camera-trap monitoring, drone use and response mechanisms