Man-Animal Interaction: Conflict & Coexistance

[Rishi]

Proper & commendable management initiatives being conducted by Gujarat Forest Dept. in Mahisagar district, where a tiger had arrived from Madhya Pradesh in August 2018.


The forest cover of the region being fragmented & sparse, they have deployed over 200 personnel. Forest officials in Mahisagar district have initiated awareness drive at village level. A training camp has also been organized for forest department staffers to help them deal during an encounter with the tiger.


The forest department has started distributing pamphlets and is guiding villagers about the dos and don’ts in the forest region of the district. “The villagers have encountered leopard several times in the past, but tiger is a new animal for them. It is important that they remain alert even as the tiger has not harmed them in past couple of months of its presence in the region,” said a forest official adding that they are also making sure that sure that people do not harm the tiger if they encounter it.

Residents have been asked to avoid going in the forest area after sunset and move around only in a group. It has been advised to people living near the forest area to not sleep in open and install fences around their houses.

Besides the toll free number of the forest department, mobile phone numbers of senior forest officials have also been given to villagers for contacting them in emergency situations. Reply