Seven killed in tiger, leopard and bear attacks in Bhandara district in nine months

Attacks by wild animals are rising in villages bordering the forest in Bhandara district, raising the question of human-wildlife conflict. According to the information available for January to September, seven people have died in attacks by tigers, bears and leopards. The district has a long forest belt along the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve area, so many villages are in direct contact with wildlife.

Availability of food and water in the forest, movement in the forest area and easily available fodder in fields near villages draw animals close to human settlements. The greatest risk is to people who go into the forest to collect mahua or grass, or to work in the fields. Attacks were recorded in the Papda, Bampewada, Umarjhari and Virshi areas of Sakoli taluka. Similar incidents also occurred in Tumsar, Pauni and Lakhni talukas.

Going by the sequence of incidents, in January a man seriously injured in a bear attack died during treatment. In March, one person was killed in a tiger attack in the Sakoli area. Between the end of March and the start of April, a seriously injured woman from the Umarjhari area died during treatment. In April, a girl was killed in a leopard attack in the Virshi area, while a woman died at Dhanegaon in the Tumsar forest range. In May, a man was killed in a tiger attack in the Pilandri area of Pauni taluka. In August, a herder was killed in a tiger attack at Agri in Tumsar taluka. The incidents have again raised the question of the safety of people in villages near the forest.

The conflict is not limited to loss of life. Animals such as wild boar, deer, chital and sambar enter fields and destroy crops. When livestock are killed in attacks by leopards, wolves and other predators, livestock keepers suffer financial losses. In June, 11 goats were killed in a leopard attack in the Korambhi area of Pauni taluka.

The Forest Department runs measures such as a quick rescue team and a control room. A toll-free number, 1926, is available to alert the department when wild animals are sighted or in an emergency. Rather than only helping after an incident, the need has been stressed to prioritise identifying sensitive villages, monitoring animal movement, a system for immediate alerts, safe routes near the forest, awareness and timely compensation. Offering alternative livelihoods to people who depend on the forest could also be part of long-term measures.