After eight days of worry, residents near Papikondalu National Park in Eluru district can breathe easy. Forest officials have confirmed that the tiger roaming close to human villages has safely moved back into the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the park. Traces and footprints show the big cat has returned deep into its natural habitat. The tiger traveled through several places including Lankalapalli and Ramanarasapuram in Buttayagudem mandal before entering the ESZ. Divisional Forest Officer P. Venkat Sandeep Reddy said officials tracked the tiger using camera traps, which recently captured its photo. "It is presently in the ESZ and is moving towards the National Park," he said. Over ten villages lie inside the ESZ around Papikondalu. Despite earlier fears, no incidents involving humans have been reported. The ESZ acts as a buffer zone, reducing human pressure on protected wildlife areas. Usually, it extends up to 10 kilometers. The tiger’s movement had triggered panic after attacking livestock near villages. It likely came from Telangana’s Kavadigundla forest, crossing into Eluru on January 21. It killed a calf there before entering Nagavaram Mutha Reserve Forest. On January 22, it killed five cows near Nagulagudem and two buffaloes in other nearby villages on January 24. The tiger continued across streams and villages, killing a buffalo calf on January 25 and attacking more livestock on January 26 and 27 before finally retreating to the forest. This safe return is a relief for locals keeping a close watch for any human-wildlife conflict.