Archive · 30 Jul 2026
AP Forests Deploy Experts to Recapture Tiger 'Explorer'
A young tiger named Explorer, about 3.5 years old, came from a reserve in Maharashtra and started killing cattle in a park in Andhra Pradesh.
Forest officials caught it with help from experts and released it back into the park.
But the tiger kept coming back and killed more cattle, so the officials are using drones, cameras, and a collar to find and capture it again.
They are working hard to keep both the tiger and the people safe.
Andhra Pradesh forest authorities are enlisting wildlife experts from NGO RESQ (Pune) and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve to recapture the elusive tiger 'Explorer'.
The 3.5‑year‑old male tiger, originally from Tadoba-Andhari, entered Andhra Pradesh on Jan 21 and has killed multiple cattle in the Papikonda National Park area.
The tiger was tranquilised and captured on Feb 6 in Kurmapuram village, East Godavari district, and released back into Papikonda National Park on Feb 14 after a National Tiger Conservation Authority review.
Despite capture, the tiger has re‑appeared, killing 12 cattle in a single night and evading capture teams, prompting deployment of thermal drones, camera traps, and satellite collar tracking.
Forest officials, including DFO V Prabhakar Rao and Chief Conservator T Jyothi, are coordinating multi‑directional teams and equipment to locate and recapture the tiger.
- Who
- Andhra Pradesh forest authorities, wildlife experts from NGO RESQ (Pune) and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
- What
- Recapture of the tiger named 'Explorer' that has been killing cattle
- When
- Entered Andhra Pradesh on January 21, captured on February 6, released on February 14, reappeared after release
- Where
- Papikonda National Park, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh
- Why
- To protect livestock and maintain wildlife safety
- Tiger name
- Explorer
- Age
- 3.5 years
- Capture date
- February 6, 2024
- Release date
- February 14, 2024
- Location
- Papikonda National Park, East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh