Tadoba tiger ‘Explorer’ returns to Andhra Pradesh in search of mate, territory

Months after astonishing wildlife experts with its extraordinary journey from Maharashtra to Andhra Pradesh, the tiger known as ‘Explorer’ has returned to the Jangareddigudem reserve forest area, once again prompting an intensive search operation by the Forest Department. The animal, which left its birthplace as a wandering sub-adult, has now returned as a fully grown male, apparently determined to establish its territory and find a mate.

“The tiger that left Tadoba as a young sub-adult towards the end of 2025 has returned as an adult. This time, it is not simply wandering. Its behaviour indicates that it is trying to establish a territory and is also searching for a mate,” a senior forest official said.

The Andhra Pradesh government has requested the Union government to facilitate the relocation of two female tigers to the State. Both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have responded positively to the proposal. According to a senior forest official, if the proposal secures the necessary clearances, a female tiger could be released into the territory now occupied by ‘Explorer’, potentially paving the way for the establishment of a new breeding population.

Male tigers establish and defend exclusive territories by marking their presence in several ways. They spray urine on trees, scratch tree trunks with their claws and deposit scat at strategic locations to signal their presence to other animals. These markings warn rival males to stay away while indicating to female tigers that the territory is occupied.

If ‘Explorer’ enters an area already claimed by another adult male, the intrusion could trigger an intense territorial confrontation, as such encounters often result in serious injuries and, in some cases, death. “In this case, the tiger is most likely searching for a mate and a suitable territory of its own,” the official said.

‘Explorer’s’ story began in the forests of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. Barely three years old, the young male had reached the age at which tigers usually leave their mother’s territory in search of a domain of their own. Such journeys are fraught with danger, as dominant males fiercely defend their territories, forcing younger animals to move through unfamiliar landscapes.

Towards the end of 2025, the tiger left the Tadoba landscape and headed south-east, traversing parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana before reaching the Godavari basin. Forest officials later reconstructed its route using camera trap images, pug marks and eyewitness accounts.