Safari ban after tiger kills

Three lives have been lost in tiger-related attacks during this month in the Bandipur-Nagarhole Tiger Reserves leading to halting of Tiger Safaris by the Karnataka Forest Department. The third death even led to attacks by villagers against forest department personnel thereby highlighting a different fallout of the human-wildlife conflict.

Decision to halt the safaris were taken following complaints that these were causing disturbances to the cats who were wreaking revengeful attacks on any individuals who come in their way and view. Of the three farmers, two were attacked by tigresses tending their cubs who perceived danger to the young ones.

It is stated that while in one case an intruder was attacked when he tried to touch the cubs, in another incident the tigress became enraged when someone pelted stones at her. The wildlife experts have been cautioning against the increasing human activity, and encroachment of the wild cats’ territory who barely tolerate any intervention into their preserves.

This year’s plentiful monsoon and luxuriant growth of weeds and grasslands too have contributed to problem as the cats find them convenient places for hiding. The forest officials also attribute the human movement to illegal activities by timber mafia, poachers and persons engaged in illegal mining and land-grabbing.

The retaliatory attack on forest officials has left a female forest range officer badly injured while another deputy range officer was critically injured. Altogether the events unfolding during the past fort night could have been triggered by increasing human activity in a territory reserved for wildlife, the situation calls for swift action to curb the same and restore and respect the pristine nature of these enclaves.