Spurt in man-animal conflict in State

[Guest guest]

www.assamtribune.com

 

Spurt in man-animal conflict in State

 

By Sivasish Thakur

GUWAHATI, July 21 — While the man-elephant conflict continues to

hog the limelight in the State, the last part of 2005 and the

beginning of 2006 saw a striking rise in the incidents of leopards

and tigers straying into human habitation and the resultant conflict

with people. A period of just five months from October last year to

February this year witnessed as many as 22 encounters between

straying tigers or leopards with humans, resulting in the death of

four leopards, a tiger and four persons.

 

This was the finding of a survey conducted by Asif Ahmed Hazarika,

an environmental activist, under the initiative of Wild Survey North

East in seven upper Asom districts.

 

The survey, carried out in the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh,

Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, North Lakhimpur and Sonitpur, recorded

15 encounters involving leopards and seven involving tigers, most of

which took place during the months of November and December 2005 and

January 2006. Among man-leopard encounter incidents, the maximum of

eight cases were recorded in Sivasagar district — one incident each

in Rajmai Khoraghat tea estate (TE), Safrai, Gelaki-Sibobari,

Kanubari Balijan, Jaboka TE, Charaideo, Mautgaon Semoluguri and

Karunasagar Pathar area. Dibrugarh district recorded three

encounters, one each at Sessa TE, Balijan TE and Bonkumar Pathar

Jokai. Jorhat district witnessed two encounters — one at Sansuagaon,

Teok and the other at New Sonowal TE, Mariani. Golaghat district

also recorded two encounters at Khoramuk Borlikson Gaon and Kohora.

 

The man-leopard conflict caused four leopard deaths — one knocked

down by a speeding vehicle at Kohora, one crushed to death under a

train at Mautgaon, Simaluguri, one poisoned to death at

Bonkumarpathar and another killed by local villagers at Karunasagar

Pathar. Three leopards involved in these incidents were caught by

the Forest Department. These were at Rajmai, Sessa TE and Khoraghat

TE.

 

On the human side, one person was killed at Khoraghat TE, while

there had been four instances of human injury at Sessa TE, Balijan

TE, Khoramukh Buralikson and Jobaka TE.

 

" What should be a matter of concern is that of these 15 straying

animals, eight were found to be infrequently roaming in their

respective areas of movement near human habitation till the end of

February 2006 and preying on livestock, " Hazarika said.

 

There had been seven incidents of tigers straying, and the

subsequent man-tiger encounters stretch through the

 

actual survey months of November, December and January (2005 –

2006). Four such incidents took place in Tinsukia district, two in

Sonitpur district and one in North Lakhimpur district.

 

The most fatal encounter within the survey period took place in

North Lakimpur district in Major Chapori Deorigaon near Narainpur,

where two persons were killed and seven persons injured by a tiger

within the first week of December 2005.

 

In Tinsukia district, a tigress, which was with a cub, killed seven-

eight domestic animals in Dholla TE, while in Koliaghat Naharchuk

area a tiger injured a person. In Phillobari Bordubi area, a person

was killed and again in Kherghat Kolia Chapori area three persons

were injured. In all the four instances, tigers were active till the

last part of December 2005.

 

In Sonitpur district there had been two instances of tiger straying,

resulting in the death of livestock in Dirpa Gohpur area and injury

to a person at Kolangpur Halem.

 

Apart from this, there had been two cases from other parts of the

State — one of a tiger being killed by people at Baithalangso in

Karbi Anglong district and another of a tiger cub rescued by people

at Mankachar in Dhubri district during the same period.

 

Hazarika said that in all the instances of man-leopard and man-tiger

encounters and the subsequent human fatalities or injuries, none of

the tigers or the leopards were established or dedicated man-eaters

but were accidental man-killers.

 

" In these cases, the animals had strayed into human habitation or

tea gardens due to various reasons like habitat shrinkage, dwindling

prey base, quest for mate, etc., and accidentally stumbled upon the

unfortunate human victims, " Hazarika said, adding that in some cases

the encounter was induced by the instinct to protect cubs, which is

very strong in animals.

 

In a few instances, terrified villagers or tea labourers cornered

the animals, which instigated the infuriated animal to fight back,

resulting in human injury or death, or the death or injury to the

animal itself.

 

According to Hazarika, for resolving the crisis, which very much

concerns the people, it is imperative that the people extend their

cooperation. " While habitat protection must be accorded top

priority, greater awareness is also crucial to the success of any

conservation drive, " he said.

 

Dr Ashit Dutta, a scientist with Wild Survey North East, said that

the Government and all concerned must find a way soon to prevent the

tragic encounters to check further casualties of both humans and

animals.