A four-year-old male tiger weighing more than 200 kg was captured by a camera trap on 20 August 2026 in the Brahmgaon forest range of Ashti tehsil, Beed district, Maharashtra. It is the first confirmed presence of a tiger in the Ashti and Patoda forest areas since the 1910s and 1920s.
Tiger Movement Across Maharashtra
The tiger originated from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Yavatmal district and left the sanctuary in 2023. It travelled through Chandrapur, Dharashiv, Latur and Ahilyanagar districts before reaching Beed. It was recorded in Dharashiv in December 2024. Forest staff found its pugmarks in Beed in October 2025. The animal was also recorded in the Ashti hilly region on 10 December 2025 and 27 July 2026. After the 20 August camera-trap record, it moved towards the Kari area near Barshi in Solapur district. It is currently using the Balaghat range in Patoda taluka as its territory. The tiger is unofficially known as “Ramling” or “Avenger”.
Tiger Biology and Legal Protection
The tiger’s scientific name is “Panthera tigris”. Tigers are territorial carnivores, and dispersing individuals can travel between habitats in search of territory and prey. India’s tiger population is the Bengal tiger subspecies, “Panthera tigris tigris”. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, provides legal protection to wildlife in India. The tiger is listed in Schedule I of the Act. Project Tiger, launched in 1973, is a centrally sponsored programme for tiger conservation and habitat management.
Human-Wildlife Safety
Forest officials have advised villagers and livestock owners to avoid forest areas frequented by the tiger. The animal has not attacked any humans to date. Camera traps and pugmark records are among the methods used by forest staff to monitor tiger presence.
Important Facts for Exams
:
- The scientific name of the tiger is “Panthera tigris”.
- Project Tiger was launched in India in 1973.
- The Wildlife (Protection) Act was enacted in 1972.
- Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Yavatmal district, Maharashtra.
The tiger was recorded in Beed district after leaving Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in 2023. The latest camera-trap record listed here was from the Brahmgaon forest range on 20 August 2026.
