The Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in Adilabad district — where a new tiger reserve is being established but is opposed by tribals — has lost 27 sq km of dense forest area between 2000 and 2010 due to cu

The Kawal Tiger Sanctuary in Adilabad, which is yet to be officially established, may run into a controversy with tribals unwilling to move out of the forest reserve area.

June 13: The tiger habitat in Kawal wildlife sanctuary in Adilabad is facing grave danger due to unabated felling of trees. There are just a few tigers and panthers here, but wild life experts are doubtful about them if their habitat is destroyed.

May 25: What is the tiger population in the state? Nobody is sure as different agencies are coming up with different numbers.

With the DNA fingerprinting technology by collecting scat and hair samples failing to take off, officials have conducted the latest survey based on the pug mark technology.

Adilabad, July 18: Not only the farmers, but the forest officials of the Kawal wildlife sanctuary are praying to the rain gods to stop the tribals from the felling of trees as part of the ongoing second phase of the Bhoo poratam led by left parties. It is alleged that tribals in some parts of the Jannaram division (wildlife management) are felling trees and encroaching upon forest land in anticipation that they may acquire these plots if they begin cultivation.

The anomaly in the latest tiger census in the state including at the Kawal wildlife sanctuary in Adilabad has raised doubts over the methods of tabulation followed by the officials. The variation in the figures were revealed when Kawal sanctuary officials increased the tiger count from nine to 19 on being questioned by senior officials in Hyderabad on the low number of the animals.