Recent negative interactions between carnivores (tigers and leopards) and people in Nilgiris, which lead to the deaths of two people in less, that two weeks in separate incidents raised questions about the factors that managed such interactions in the region.
According to official sources, nine people with people in Nilgiris have been killed between Tigers and Leopards. Although four deaths were expected to be the only animal identified as MDT-23 (Mudumalai Tiger-23), the animal that was to be in it was to change it. He should have it to be in it, to become human urban, and that it should be in it to become human urban, and what changes in the accident, and what happened in human urban, and what happened in the sick. Meeting, with multiple factors cited by incident experts.
Experts state that the combination of factors, including the increase in the population of leopards and tigers across Nilgiris, associated with the loss and fragmentation of habitats, could lead to a recent number of negative interactions in a lack of viable prey and overlapping between habitats and animals.
“It was previously assumed that the Nilgiris Forest division did not have the population of the Tiger Population. Only since 2018 have we realized that the tigers not only use divisions as a corridor between different stations, but also use it as the habitat itself,” said R. Sanil, head of the zoology at the Udhagamandam Government.
Dr. Sanil, co -author of the contribution of tiger populations in Horní nilgirics analyzed the samples of Scat Tigers and Leopards, said that the food of animals, even samples taken from regions located near human dwellings, shows that prefectors preferred wild prey.
“It seems likely that these meetings, which result in unfortunate deaths, are actually accidental,” added Mr. Sanil. He stated that as fragmentation of habitats, carnivores who pass human dwellings in search of food have a more likely chance of conflict with local communities.
Of all the nine human deaths caused by carnivores in Nilgirics analyzed since 2019, only one has been in the “core” of the reserve forest, while the others occur in areas used by both humans and animals known as “interface”. The death of Kenthar Kuttan, the last victim of the human animal’s conflict, occurred in the reserve forest, although the area is often used by tribal communities in finding firewood and collecting small forests.
The protector based on Nilgiris N. Mohanraj states that the high density of tigers and leopards and lack of viable prey due to poor quality habitats is also another factor that could push carnivores into “opportunistic” killing of cattle, pet animals, as well as people. Mohanraj said that the uncontrolled spread of invasive types of flora caused most of the habitats for herbivores, and this could lead to the tigers and leopards avoiding spare forests in the search for prey.
“The need for an hour is immediate restoration of grassland and improving habitats that will strengthen the population of ungulates in forest areas, so for tigers and leopards there is a larger base of prey,” he said.
There were also calls for identifying communities living in the interface where there is a potential for conflict. “These regions can be easily identified because they are close to reserve forests. Any movement of animals in this area can be reported to a forest department, which in turn can set up cameras and timely warning systems to understand the behavior of the animal and whether it is necessary to intervene (in its injury).”
Mr. Sadiq said that local NGOs can help the department in cooperation with these communities to help them accept proven procedures for safe life together with the wild and minimize the chances of accidental meetings.
Published – March 28, 2025 20:57
