Representative image of a tiger
Credit: DH File photo
Lovesick Johnny, a male tiger, embarked on a 300 km journey, taking him from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctury in Maharashtra's Nanded district to Adilabad and Nirmal districts of Telangana in search of a mate.
The tiger's movement are being closely monitored by forest officials using a radio collar. Johnny began his journey in the third week of October, as winter is the mating season for big cats.
Male tigers can detect the scent of female tigers from about 100 km away. According to a report by India Today, the Adilabad district forest officer, Prashanth Bajirao Patil said, “Male tigers often embark on long journeys when they cannot find a mate in their territory.”
The big cat was first spotted by forest officials in the forests of Boath mandal in Adilabad. The tiger traversed through various other regions, including Kuntala, Sarangapur, Mamada, and Pembi mandals in Nirmal district. It has crossed the Hyderabad-Nagpur NH-44 highway and is believed to be heading towards Tiryani area.
The forest officials remain on high alert. Reportedly Johnny has killed five cattle and made several unsuccessful attempts to hunt cows. Officials have reassured the public that tigers in search of mates are no threat to humans, however the public is advised not to confront the big cat.
Given the route Johnny is taking, he may end up at the Kanwal Tiger Reserve, which would be of great significance. The reserve has previously struggled to maintain its tiger population, due to the increased threat of poachers and habitat degradation. The reserve has had migrating tigers pass through but since 2022 no tiger has made it its permanent abode.
Elusing Meru, the chief wildlife warden stated as per the report, “If Johnny moves to KTR’s core area, it will be a turning point."
Forest officials closely track the big cats movements. Johnny's trek across states in search of a mate, highlights the natural behaviors of tigers and the need to preserve their natural habitats.