During the past few years cases of man-animal conflict are on a rise across our National Parks and Tiger Reserves. Below I share a typical case of mishandling of a ‘man-eating cat’ in Corbett National Park of Uttarakhand, based on media reports and personal visits to the region. Although, there is a grave poaching threat looming on the region's big cats, here our focus will be the former problem.
Despite repeated demand by locals that the cat should immediately be declared a man-eater and tackled, there was no action for two months. Although, it was quite clear from all signs that a feline had become a man-eater, no plan was formulated to tackle the big cat for over two months. Rather, the authorities tried to shove the issue under the carpet claiming that unless -the tiger took at least 7 lives- only then could they declare it a man-eater. Finally after intense local pressure and 3 lost lives a fact-clear from the very beginning-was accepted.
Then, when the shoot-at sight orders are given the authorities issue a note claiming that the feline would be shot within 48 hrs. If all preventive measures have been put in place. Even then, -a novice would also know-catching the animal with random baits in 2 nights would be a figment of imagination. It is a well known fact that man-eating cats become extremely cautious.
Secondly, in other earlier reported cases man-eaters in the Park, the authorities always tried to capture or tranquilize the animal. Also as there are many other tigers (both males and females) operating in the region it is very likely that the right cat might not be shot at. After all the authorities seemed to have a sketchy account about the feline (they took 3 killings figure out the gender) .Why they did not keep that as an option in this case?
Also, when the tigress is reportedly fired at and injured by forest officials. There was no large scale combing operations taken by the authorities (like the latest one) in order to find the injured animal. After all with its hampered hunting abilities wasn't it even more dangerous.
Finally on Thursday 28 Jan, 16 days after the reported injuring of the cat and three months after 5 reported human killings. When things go completely out of hands and stones are pelted at the forest officials. In frenzy, unprecedented combing operations are undertaken in the forests of the Sarpduli Range (where 3-4 other tigers operate). In mid-afternoon young and healthy male tiger is shot dead.
The loopholes are everywhere right from the confusion of regarding the legality of when and how to declare a cat a man-eater, which is followed by how compensation should be given to villagers till the attacking cat is not confirmed as a man-eater. Should a man-eater always be captured or killed?
However, the most disturbing and significant question of all- why we still haven’t managed to equip our premier National Park with trained, full-time veterinaries and state-of-art lab facilities. And so it won’t be surprising that the present tiger shooting by the authorities turns out to be a fluke. Point being, the reported man-eater right up till a few hours back was claimed to be a man-eating tigress and not a male tiger.
There is almost no follow-up by the media on the different tiger deaths that have taken place across the Park in the past three years. Sadly, first hand evidence from the region suggests 8/10 of these reported deaths have been due to poisoning. I mention this because the present incident of shooting (by the forest authorities) will also 'fade away' from spotlight . With no insightful investigation on how Park authorities have failed on many fronts. Be it safe guarding of the endangered cat or the poor villagers.
The latest reported twin tiger deaths took three days back in the Kalagadh region of the Park (another illegal human settlement). It would be surprising to find a conclusive report made public by the authorities on any of these deaths.
This piece was written on Jan 27. Since then 1 more tiger has died on the periphery of the tiger reserve. The reported reason -a ‘heart attack’ because of infirmity .
- Nov-Dec: 3 mid-aged women killed in separate incidents in the Sunderkhal village (an illegal settlement) located on the eastern boundary of Corbett Tiger Reserve. For various reasons authorities are unclear about the gender of the big cat that killed the victim right up till the 3 death.
- Dec 30:Govt. finally declares the feline a man-eating tigress and issues shoot at sight orders. Conservationists demand that the tiger be tranquilized instead. However, the park has no veterinary doctor.
- Jan11: The tigress is reportedly shot at on January 11 by forest officers. The feline is injured in the operation. The officers claim that blood stains at the spot points that that the tigress was injured.
- Jan 14: A fourth human, whose body is found about 5-6 kms away from Garjia forest is also reportedly killed by the tigress. This killing is at a short distance from the range of purported man-eating Tigress. “It is a tigress, which is fit and healthy. It is also switching over to its natural prey in between killing and eating men"-U C Tiwari Park Warden.
- Jan 27: A man-eating big cat reportedly killed a 27-year-old young man late on Wednesday evening. As a result, Sunderkhal villagers pelt stones and block NH-121 that leads to the Park . Forest officials take up massive combing operations on Thursday afternoon, and find a male tiger in the nearby forest. A seven years old tiger is shot and killed by them.
Despite repeated demand by locals that the cat should immediately be declared a man-eater and tackled, there was no action for two months. Although, it was quite clear from all signs that a feline had become a man-eater, no plan was formulated to tackle the big cat for over two months. Rather, the authorities tried to shove the issue under the carpet claiming that unless -the tiger took at least 7 lives- only then could they declare it a man-eater. Finally after intense local pressure and 3 lost lives a fact-clear from the very beginning-was accepted.
Then, when the shoot-at sight orders are given the authorities issue a note claiming that the feline would be shot within 48 hrs. If all preventive measures have been put in place. Even then, -a novice would also know-catching the animal with random baits in 2 nights would be a figment of imagination. It is a well known fact that man-eating cats become extremely cautious.
Secondly, in other earlier reported cases man-eaters in the Park, the authorities always tried to capture or tranquilize the animal. Also as there are many other tigers (both males and females) operating in the region it is very likely that the right cat might not be shot at. After all the authorities seemed to have a sketchy account about the feline (they took 3 killings figure out the gender) .Why they did not keep that as an option in this case?
Also, when the tigress is reportedly fired at and injured by forest officials. There was no large scale combing operations taken by the authorities (like the latest one) in order to find the injured animal. After all with its hampered hunting abilities wasn't it even more dangerous.
Finally on Thursday 28 Jan, 16 days after the reported injuring of the cat and three months after 5 reported human killings. When things go completely out of hands and stones are pelted at the forest officials. In frenzy, unprecedented combing operations are undertaken in the forests of the Sarpduli Range (where 3-4 other tigers operate). In mid-afternoon young and healthy male tiger is shot dead.
The loopholes are everywhere right from the confusion of regarding the legality of when and how to declare a cat a man-eater, which is followed by how compensation should be given to villagers till the attacking cat is not confirmed as a man-eater. Should a man-eater always be captured or killed?
However, the most disturbing and significant question of all- why we still haven’t managed to equip our premier National Park with trained, full-time veterinaries and state-of-art lab facilities. And so it won’t be surprising that the present tiger shooting by the authorities turns out to be a fluke. Point being, the reported man-eater right up till a few hours back was claimed to be a man-eating tigress and not a male tiger.
There is almost no follow-up by the media on the different tiger deaths that have taken place across the Park in the past three years. Sadly, first hand evidence from the region suggests 8/10 of these reported deaths have been due to poisoning. I mention this because the present incident of shooting (by the forest authorities) will also 'fade away' from spotlight . With no insightful investigation on how Park authorities have failed on many fronts. Be it safe guarding of the endangered cat or the poor villagers.
The latest reported twin tiger deaths took three days back in the Kalagadh region of the Park (another illegal human settlement). It would be surprising to find a conclusive report made public by the authorities on any of these deaths.
This piece was written on Jan 27. Since then 1 more tiger has died on the periphery of the tiger reserve. The reported reason -a ‘heart attack’ because of infirmity .
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