With more than a dozen people killed in the recent tiger attacks in States like — Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra — the experts have warned that tiger conservation in the country cannot be simply measured in terms of increasing numbers of big cats, but expanding their habitat needs serious consideration.
While the hunt for a tiger, which killed three persons in Ooty, by more than 300 forest and police officers has entered its third week in Tamil Nadu, similar search is on in the Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district where seven persons have been killed by a prowling big cat. Three persons have also been killed near Tadoba Andheri tiger reserve in Maharashtra.
In UP, three hunters were deployed to track and capture the tigress which began its killing spree with an attack on a 65-year-old man on December 29. But so far there has been no success. “The tigress must be still hungry as it has been running without rest and adequate food,” said Rupak De, Chief Wildlife Warden, UP.
It is believed that the tigress had strayed from the Jim Corbett National Park in neighboring Uttarakhand State. Prior to the orders to kill it, forest department officials aided by two elephants had tried to search it and drive it back into the park, but in vain.
According to Dr K Ullhas Karanth, Director For Science-Asia, Wildlife Conservation Society, “Shooting a man-eater is always much quicker, easier, cheaper and more efficient than darting it for chemical capture.” This is particularly true of field conditions under which one of these options is to be chosen by managers in a hurry and under public pressure. This can also be done where failure or delay in capture will lead to additional avoidable loss of human life.
The experts pointed out that such incidents are likely to be on the rise in future. Even though successful attempts have been made to increase its population, a lack of space is now making the tigers stray out of their habitats and encounter human settlements. Further, the villages are increasingly drawing closer to the edge of the forest, encroaching on the tiger’s habitat. Young animals and old animals get pushed out of their territories and begin to attack humans, which is a worrying trend, they said. They called for more long-term planning to prevent future attacks. The conservation officials should plan for the expansion of protected habitats to keep up with the growing number of tigers.