A female Bengal Tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, was killed in a confrontation with a group of villagers in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday 24 July 2019. The incident began after the animal attacked a man fishing in the reserve, prompting the villagers, who were working in a nearby field to try to drive it off. Unfortunately the Tiger did not choose to leave, instead attacking the villagers, killing another man and injuring seven more. This prompted a larger group of villagers to seek out the animal, armed with spears, clubs, and machetes, leading to a confrontation which resulted in the Tiger's death. Officials from the Indian Forest Service reportedly tried to intervene during this final confrontation, but were disarmed and had their phones confiscated to prevent them from calling for backup. Four villagers have since been arrested in connection with the incident, with local police wanting to talk to about 30 more.
Villagers attacking a Tiger in Uttar Pradesh this week. Outlook India.
The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve comprises 600 km2 of forest and savanna bordering onto Nepal. It is home to the only surviving population of Tigers in India adapted to the Tarai ecosystem, and is popular tourists from both India and overseas. However, like other wild areas in
India it is under pressure from the country's rising population, with
more people living closer to the park each year, creating the
possibility for conflict between people and animals.
Tigers are considered to be Endangered under the terms of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, with the Indian subspecies, Panthera tigris tigris, threatened by poaching, loss and fragmentation of habitat, with the result that the total adult Tiger population in India is currently thought to be about 3890 (up from about 1400 in 2006). As such Tigers are heavily protected in India, and the Indian Forest Service usually try to relocate Tigers that come into conflict with Humans to more remote areas, preferably within national parks, though the extent to which local people co-operate is variable, and where conflict occurs within national parks there is limited action that can be taken.
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Tigers are considered to be Endangered under the terms of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, with the Indian subspecies, Panthera tigris tigris, threatened by poaching, loss and fragmentation of habitat, with the result that the total adult Tiger population in India is currently thought to be about 3890 (up from about 1400 in 2006). As such Tigers are heavily protected in India, and the Indian Forest Service usually try to relocate Tigers that come into conflict with Humans to more remote areas, preferably within national parks, though the extent to which local people co-operate is variable, and where conflict occurs within national parks there is limited action that can be taken.
See also...
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