A tiger has been camera-trapped in the Kishkindha hills of Koppal district, nearly five decades after the big cat was last reported in the forest area of the region, prompting the Forest Department to step up vigilance and alert local communities.

Wildlife experts said the tiger may have been frequenting the hill forests for several months and could have entered the area through a wildlife corridor connecting it to the Srisailam landscape in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The Forest Department began monitoring the area after receiving repeated reports from residents over the past three months of a tiger moving around the Yelugudda region. Camera traps were installed at strategic locations in the hills. One of the cameras, placed at Temba, captured the tiger moving through the area on Sunday (August 23, 2026), confirming its presence.

The department has asked residents to immediately report any fresh sighting or information about the tiger.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Alert sounded

Following the sighting, the Forest Department has sounded an alert in Hampi and surrounding areas. Sirens have been sounded in Sanapur, Basapur, Jabbalagudda, Benakal, Agoli, Venkatagi, Hanumanahalli and Junglirangapur, warning residents, shepherds and cattle grazers against entering the Yelugudda forest area.

People have also been advised not to venture into the forest alone or sleep outdoors at night. The department has asked residents to immediately report any fresh sighting or information about the tiger.

Additional forest personnel have been deployed in the Yelugudda area over the past three days, while more camera traps are being installed to track the animal’s movements and ascertain when and from where it entered the landscape.