A six-percent increase in tiger population recorded in 2022 census over 2018 one, gladdened the hearts of wildlife lovers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too declared with pride that India was home to over 70 per cent tigers living in the wilds the world over. Their number has more than doubled from 1411 in 2006 to 3167 in 2022. Number of tiger reserves too have gone up from just nine at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973 to 54 in 2023.

 As we are being presented a tiger reserve-wise report card for past four years at a congregation of Forest officials at Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand) on July 29 to mark Global Tigers Day, another aspect that needs to be pondered over is whether there is enough forest area for fast increasing tiger population in the country and whether growing cases of man-tiger conflict are the result of a lopsided population growth of the most-coveted feline species. Lets take a look first at some of the recent stories…

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra is famous for frequent tiger and leopard sightings. But, it is also gaining notoriety for some time for increasing man-tiger conflicts. Situation seems to be reaching an alarming proportion with one person being killed by tigers almost every week in Chandrapur district, where TATR is located. As per figures recently cited by state Forest Minister Mr Sudhir Mungantiwar in Maharashtra Assembly, 53 persons were killed by tigers in the year 2022.

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SUGARCANE TIGERS OF UP

Situation in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri and Pilibhit districts is no different. Half of the tigers in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve and Dudhwa Tiger Reserve are residing out of the forested area – inside sugarcane fields, thereby getting a nomenclature – Sugarcane Tigers. They have been attacking and mauling farmers going into the fields for agricultural work. Human killings are being frequently reported from these areas – in fact many times more than much-demonised Sundarbans.

Jim Corbett National Park is considered one of the most beautiful tiger reserves in the country. Nestled in Himalayan foothills of Nainital district, it houses over 260 tigers. But, big cats have been venturing out with highest-ever frequency in 2022-23. In fact, a one-year old tigress straying into a Bailpokhara village in Kaladhungi area on the eve of Global Tigers Day, had to be tranquilised by Corbett officials on July 27^th to be transported back into the wilds of Corbett Park.

NO MANEATER

Fortunately, despite such frequent human killings none of the tigers haven’t been declared man-eaters. A tiger becomes a maneater when it purposefully starts killing human beings for eating. Most of recent encounters have taken place ‘accidentally’ – meaning when both man and tiger come face to face and the animal feels threatened that the man might attack him or feels its habitat is being invaded.

The forest and wildlife officials have been doing a yeoman’s service by ensuring a buffer and often bringing the big cat back to its habitat if one ventures out. But, they too becomes helpless when one third of tigers’ population starts residing outside forested areas – as is the case in Pilibhit, Lakhimpur and Chandrapur.

TIGERS INCREASING, FOREST SHRINKING

A male tiger requires approx. 20 square kms areas to thrive and a tigress needs 10-12 kms area to mark its territory. The tiger population in TATR grew from 83 (as per 2018 tiger census) to 97 (as per 2022 census) in 1727 sq kms area.

Jim Corbett National Park spread across 1318 Square Kms, is home to almost 260 tigers. Taking a tiger’s average territory at15 Sq Kms, ideally its tigers need over 3950 Square Kms to live comfortably. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve spread across 729 Sq Kms won global recognition by doubling its tiger population from 25 to 65 in just four years but ideally it requires somewhere from 950 to 1100 Sq Kms area for its tigers. That explains tigers spilling out of tiger reserves resulting in frequent man-animal conflict.

The solution thus lies in effective management of tiger population from densely populated areas to forests having zero or less population like Dampa and Indravati Tiger Reserves. A few like Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve has already set the process in motion by relocating their tigers in less populated zones. Few others are following the move. Replicating good practices is bound to bear good results result for both Tigers and Human beings.