Man-Animal Interaction: Conflict & Coexistance

[Rishi]

The Hindu's photographer K.R. Deepak captures the tense moments when a tiger came face to face with a group of workers in the Tadoba Andhari national park.

The Tadoba Andhari National Park in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra is home for about 65 tigers, and one of the oldest tiger reserves of India. Spread across over 1,700 square kilometres, it includes 625 square kilometres of reserve forest.
Tigers crossing roads are a common sight during jungle safaris in this area, but a tiger confronting humans — not so much.

It was a regular Wednesday for the tourists as they moved in terrain vehicles and for the workers engaged in removing forest grass until they spotted a lone tiger approaching them.

A tiger cub strays into a zone frequented by humans at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, near Nagpur in Maharashtra on Wednesday. 

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The vehicles’ engines were turned off, a protocol followed in forests in order to allow animals to cross the road unagitated. The workers took shelter behind the Gypsy cars fearing for their lives.

Workers who were engaged in cutting grass at the reserve forest take refuge behind a tourist vehicle.  

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The lone tiger, later identified as a 15-month old male cub, appeared to have ventured out in search of food. Much to their relief, it left out the humans and headed towards the area where workers had stacked their lunch-boxes and water-bottles.

The tiger cub moves toward the food packets kept aside by workers.

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The tiger cub chose its favourite, a foodie bag...

The tiger cub moves away with a lunch bag. 

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...and quietly walked away with it to rejoin its group.

The sub-adult tiger cub on his stay back.

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Human-animal conflict is a long-standing issue in the Tadoba Andhari area. In May, a 45-year-old man working at the Tadoba Tiger Reserve was mauled to death by a tiger. There are over 50 villages surrounding the forest and most residents of the area are tribals. The Maharashtra government is in the process of relocating them in a bid to reduce human movement in the area. At the same time, tourism is a buzzing industry here, making the place more prone to such conflicts.

He shared his new toys with his siblings.

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