Habitat disturbance driving human-animal conflict in Mysuru belt

The death of farmer Rajashekar in a tiger attack in Saragur taluk of Mysuru district on Sunday is a pointer to the increase in anthropogenic pressure on forests leading to habitat degradation that was escalating conflict situation.

The Sunday’s tiger attack is the second in the recent days and it was less than two weeks ago that another farmer Mahadeva Gowda, lost his vision as his face was mauled in another tiger attack, also in Saragur region.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Forests Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre will visit Bandipur on Monday, and hold a review meeting with senior officials on the escalation of human-animal conflict in the region and measures that need to be taken to reduce it.

Activists say that the latest tiger attack is not only tragic as it has led to human killing but is also a pointer to the shrinking wildlife habitat increasingly coming under pressure due to development projects or illegal resorts that are proliferating around Bandipur which is a major revenue generator from tourism activities.

The Bandipur forests are part of a larger landscape encapsuling Nagarahole–Mudumalai–Wayanad sanctuaries and the entire landscape is home to India’s largest number of tigers in the wild. As per the 2022 NTCA estimates, there were 563 tigers in Karnataka, a significant number of them in the Bandipur (150)—Nagarahole (140) belt, and the population in this area is reckoned to be reaching saturation point.

Hence, activists have called for strengthening the buffer zone and the ESZ around these tiger reserves so that these forests could absorb the surplus population. The forest degradation is also due to proliferation of weeds like lantana as a result of which the predators tend to prey on domestic cattle and villagers tend to become victims in many such cases.

Various reports including NTCA report on Status of Tigers and Co-predators 2022, point out that tigers are in competition with other predators like leopards and wild dogs for prey. The report noted that proliferation of several invasive species are degrading the tiger habitats and this was compounded by frequent forest fire incidents during summer that devastates large tracts of forest land.

Incidentally, the NTCA had also recommended bringing the entire Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary under core and critical area of Bandipur but it is yet to be notified. Conservation activists had raised the issue with the Forest Department and pointed out that Nugu forms the buffer of Bandipur and was part of the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). It was argued that Nugu already supports a high density of elephants and tigers besides other species of both predator and prey animals and hence it was imperative to bring it under Bandipur core area and provide inviolaet space for wildlife. But it is yet to be notified.

Adding to habitat disturbance is the decision of the district administration to promote religious activity in core tiger area of Hediyala which is part of Bandipur. The Beladakuppe Mahadevaswamy temple is included under tourism promotion scheme ignoring the fact that such activities violate Wildlife Protection Act and Supreme Court directions.