http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/man-eating-tigers-terrorize-northern-india-leaving-10-dead/
Excerpt:
February 13, 2014
Man-Eating Tigers Terrorize Northern India, Leaving 10 Dead
The six-week rampage may, albeit grimly, highlight the success of conservation efforts.
Villagers in northern India have been living in fear for nearly a month and a half, as a pair of man-eating tigers claimed their tenth human victim. While a male tiger may have been responsible for one or two of the deaths, a rogue tigress likely killed the rest. All of the attacks took place in or near Jim Corbett National Park, India’s oldest national park, which also serves as a refuge for the endangered Bengal tigers – signaling a grisly side-effect of successful conservation efforts.
A 50-year-old man who was mauled to death while collecting firewood on Sunday night became the female cat’s latest prey.
“The animal ate parts of the man’s leg and abdomen before being scared away by villagers waving shovels and metal rods,” reported AP.
Earlier that day, around noon, a 45-year-old irrigation worker was also killed – perhaps by the male tiger, which was also blamed for the death of a woman in January. Workers who came to his aid after hearing screams found that the man – who had stopped by the roadside to relieve himself – had been dragged more than 18 meters into the forest.
News of the fatal attack prompted local residents, scared and angry after failed attempts to catch the man-eaters, to occupy a national forestry department office to demand protection and compensation for victims’ families.
National park director Samir Sinha told The Times of India that the families would receive about $4,000 in bereavement funds.
All of the ten attacks took place in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh across a span of roughly 130 kilometers.
“India is home to more than half of the world’s estimated 3,200 tigers, with most living in wildlife reserves set up since the 1970s,” wrote The Guardian. “The natural habitat of the animals has almost disappeared outside reserves. Even inside designated zones, unchecked development of tourism and other industries has restricted space and food. Many end up foraging in areas with large human populations.”
Despite habitat loss, the sudden uptick in tiger attacks is likely proof that the endangered big cat is making a comeback in India.
More at the link.
My mother was attacked by a tiger in India when she was a child. Workers in a nearby field rescued her, killing the tiger with their scythes. I have one of the claws, which they gave her to mystically ward off future tiger attacks.
I love animals, but I have mixed feelings about donating money to a project whose success can cause people to die.
= new reply since forum marked as read
