Without tiger population control, more captures expected: Top official

On Wednesday evening, a male tiger responsible for killing five people between February and June was captured by Maharashtra’s forest department from the buffer area of Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve.

Authorities in Maharashtra fear there could be a sharp increase in instances of man-animal conflicts or wildlife officials being called in to capture tigers responsible for killing humans if steps aren’t taken to control the tiger population across central India.

This year, 22 people have died in tiger attacks between January and June, higher than the figures for the same period of previous years, the forest department said. (PTI)

On Wednesday evening, a male tiger responsible for killing five people between February and June was captured by Maharashtra’s forest department from the buffer area of Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve.

Last month, another tiger from Brahmapuri was captured in Gondia, and the animal was said to have killed four people across the two forest divisions. An order has also been issued to capture another tiger in Rajura forest division that was allegedly responsible for four deaths.

This year, 22 people have died in tiger attacks between January and June, higher than the figures for the same period of previous years, the forest department said. There were 26 deaths in 2019 and 25 in 2018.

During 2015-19, Maharashtra topped the tally of human deaths in tiger attacks in India, with the most cases reported last year. The latest developments come against the backdrop of tigress Avni being shot dead in November 2018 in controversial circumstances.

Nitin Kakodkar, the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) of the state, said more incidents of tigers being captured or man-animal conflicts should be expected without population control measures in place across central Indian, especially Chandrapur district, home to more than 170 of Maharashtra’s 312 tigers.

“With almost 54% of all tigers in Maharashtra located within one district, we are expecting an exponential increase in human-tiger conflict in the near future, forcing increased cases of tiger captures to avoid human deaths,” Kakodkar said.

There are more than 200 tigers inside and outside protected areas in eastern Vidarbha, which has a forest cover of 22,508 sq km, or 37% of the total geographical area. The human population in this region is 14.5 million.

The forest department has proposed the Maharashtra government should consider measures such as translocation of 50 tigers from the region to areas with fewer numbers, or to zoological parks or even states with low tiger populations, and sterilisation of male tigers to curb the population.

“While these are suggestions at the moment, and yet to be sanctioned, there is a need for immediate solutions or at least discussions to review the expected surge in conflict. Our intent is to ensure tigers as a species are protected in this region, residents are not harmed, and our forest staff are safeguarded from any backlash from locals following conflict cases,” said Kakodkar.

Forest minister Sanjay Rathod said the department was looking at habitat development in and around national parks, sanctuaries and protected areas in Maharashtra where tiger numbers are low.

“We are facing an acute crisis in Chandrapur, where estimated numbers show that there could be over 500 tigers in the district within two years. Currently, there are about 15 tigers surrounding main Chandrapur city. We are anticipating an increase in conflict, and for this we have already begun reaching out to tiger scientists and independent experts for suggestions,” said Rathod.

“My intent is to have more green spaces near existing sanctuaries or corridors, away from human settlements, where we increase prey base and natural resources for tigers to ensure they can safely disperse in such areas.”

Rathod said a final list of suggestions will be collated in the form of a proposal to address the tiger conflict in Chandrapur. “This will be submitted to the chief minister, and with his approval sent to the Union environment ministry. The entire process is being expedited as cases are rising,” he said.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said Chandrapur is emerging as a primary hotbed for man-animal conflicts.

NTCA member secretary Anup Nayak said: “Translocation of a few tigers will be a temporary solution as other dominant ones will take over such areas very soon. As far as sterilisation is concerned, that is a major step and can have several adverse impacts. There is a serious problem in Chandrapur, but we need to have more deliberations before coming up with overall solutions.

“For the time being, we need to be more assertive and ensure all our resources, including increased special tiger protection forces (STPF), are deployed for focused monitoring along with the forest department.”

Experts said each case of conflict needs to be assessed in isolation, unless it has been proven the same tiger was involved in several attacks.

Wildlife Conservation Trust president Anish Andheria said, “The mistake we make is to compile human-wildlife interaction cases, which are wrongly termed as conflict cases, over a 10-year period, which creates a false impression that large carnivores are bloodthirsty beasts.

“By leaving out important information regarding man-made factors, such as forest degradation, fragmentation, forest fires and prey poaching, from the narrative, people get misled into believing tigers have become increasingly aggressive. In fact, the reasons for increased interactions are all man-made.

“Owing to this incomplete information, wrong solutions are suggested and implemented. Instead of improving the quality of habitat, strengthening corridors, reducing livestock densities and suggesting behaviour changes in people, what is done on ground is removal of tigers.”

Kishore Rithe, a former member of the state wildlife board, said while he opposed the move of capturing 50-odd tigers and sending them to zoos or sterilising males, he supported capturing problem tigers and sending them to enclosures.

“I would go one step ahead – I feel that we should capture such tigers who show signs of becoming ‘problem animals’, and release them in nearby suitable habitats. That would save the lives of people and tigers both,” he said.

According to the forest department, the male tiger (KT1) captured on Wednesday evening was responsible for kills on February 15, May 19, April 8, June 4 and June 6.

“The first two kills were closer to the fringes of the core area of Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve, while the remaining were in the buffer near Kolara and Bamangaon. However, all kills were made when local residents had entered forest to gather wood, mahua or tendu leaves,” said Kakodkar.

“Thus, I issued orders for the tiger’s capture on Monday.”

On Wednesday, a team of forest officers including a wildlife veterinary officer set up three live baits using cattle near a lake, Chaiti talao, near Kolara, located in the buffer of the tiger reserve, and waited atop machans for the tiger.

The tiger killed one of the baits in the day and returned in the evening to eat it. “With all precautions in place, the wildlife veterinary officer shot the dart around 5 pm, tranquilising the animal before sunset,” said Kakodkar. “The animal was shifted to Gorewada zoo and wildlife rescue centre in Nagpur to be kept in captivity.”

On May 7, a two-year-old tigress (N1), allegedly responsible for the death of two people in Gondia was tranquillised and captured by the forest department and sent to Gorewada zoo. After two reported kills by the animal in November and December last year, the tiger reportedly killed two people collecting forest produce in the last week of April and another on May 2.

Andheria said research has shown that tigers generally do not get into conflict in the areas they live in. “Dispersed young animals, if at all, are relatively more prone to get involved in skirmishes with people. If a number of tigers have reached the ecological capacity of the habitat, young tigers will be moved out of that area. Conflict cannot increase exponentially in open habitats,” he said.

“However, whenever a tiger is found to engage in repeated attacks, it needs to be moved into captivity…Problems being witnessed currently are a symptom of human-induced pressures. At the same time, management practices within core forest areas should not be replicated outside.”

As the department searches for the tiger in Rajura, another order issued in January to capture another male tiger in Chandrapur division lapsed in April. The chief wildlife warden’s orders lapse after two months of being issued if they are not renewed.

“While the order for trapping the Rajura tiger is in place, and the department is making progress, the Chandrapur tiger has not made any human kills or attacks in sometime, leading to a lapse in the trapping order. We are yet to take a final call in that regard,” said Kakodkar.

Tiger scientist Bilal Habib from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, said, “Conflict and tiger numbers are increasing, and we need all stakeholders to come together urgently, make wise decisions, and put forth solutions before things go out of hand.”