The Forest department’s frontline staff are constantly monitoring the movement of the tiger, the pug marks of which were last found in Kothaguda forest area of the district on Sunday morning.
The tiger reportedly entered the Kothaguda forest area from the forest fringe areas of the neighbouring Bhadradri-Kothagudem or Mulugu districts a few days ago.
The big cat, which killed a cow near Nelavancha in Gudur reserve forest area, on Friday night, remained elusive since then.
Sources in the Forest department said the tiger has not been spotted despite continuous monitoring of its movement through camera traps and stepped-up vigil in the fringe areas of the forests in the district so far.
Sources added that the tiger might have moved deep inside the woods or crossed over to the forests in the neighbouring districts.
Meanwhile, the authorities alerted the field functionaries of the Panchayat Raj and other allied government departments to dissuade cattle grazers and forest dwellers of Gudur and its adjoining mandals from entering into the forest areas as a safety precaution.
Apart from intensifying vigil to track the movement of the elusive tiger, the Forest department is carrying out an awareness campaign in the villages located in the vicinity of forests to ensure safety of those living in the fringe areas of the forests and also the tiger.
