Adult male tiger released in Papikonda National Park

The adult male tiger, named ‘Explorer’, was reintroduced into the wild in the Godavari landscape of Papikonda National Park (PNP) in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning (February 14, 2026) as part of Operation Stripes, eight days after it was tranquilised.

The transient tiger was tranquilised after walking more than 650 kilometers through the functional corridor that stretches between Central India and the Eastern Ghats. Labelled as innocent, its conduct and behavior persuaded Indian tiger conservationists to grant it a new lease on life by releasing it back into the natural landscape.

Highly placed sources associated with the Operation Stripes told The Hindu, “At 9.30 a.m. on Saturday, the tiger has been released into the wild. It is healthy and walked with a gentle calmness. It displayed shyness in its behaviour during the release”.

Satellite Collar

The sources also revealed that the tiger has been fitted with a satellite collar and the GPS system has been enabled to receive signals. The transmission of data regarding the tiger’s movements has commenced and is being recorded. This is the first tiger operation in the State in which a tiger is being monitored using satellite collaring, according to wildlife authorities. The satellite collar is also equipped with a VHF caller facility, enabling the monitoring team to track the tiger’s movements.

As part of Operation Stripes, officials also launched an initiative to augment herbivore populations in the landscape where the tiger was released. The sources informed that special teams have been deployed to monitor the tiger’s movements in the wild until it establishes its own territory.

The Rajahmundry Wildlife Management personnel and ground-level staff, who were involved in the tranquilisation task, lauded the successful rehabilitation of the big cat.