Limit Tiger Threat

The growth of the tiger population in Nepal is undoubtedly something to rejoice. There has been an increase in the number of Bengal tigers from 121 in 2010 to 429 currently. However, any conservation success carries along with itself an onus that should not be neglected – the duty to protect those who coexist with these wild beasts. The latest cases of attacks in Chitwan reveal the significance of that obligation. On August 11, a 65-year-old man lost his life after being attacked by a tiger during his morning walk at Jitpur. Five days later, 60-year-old, man, became another victim who is now recovering from attack in Bharatpur. While for the conservation agencies such attacks would be classified under the category of human-wildlife conflict events, for the victims' families, they can cause only sorrow and other complications. Such tragic evidences show that something goes missing in conservation efforts in Nepal. Recent studies on tiger attacks have shown that 90 per cent of the attacks happened in the forest areas, whereas 69.4 per cent were in buffer zones. In Chitwan alone, almost 50 per cent of the attacks have been recorded. This data indicates that there are places where tigers meet people more often.