Published On : Tue, Jul 26th, 2022

Lurking terror: Maharashtra tops in human deaths due to tigers between 2019 and 2021

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Nagpur: In total 125 human deaths resulted from conflict with tigers, between 2019 and 2021 across India, Maharashtra registered the highest number of human deaths with 61, reveals the data tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. While the Ministry didn’t provide a state-wise breakup of the last three years, data procured by Nagpur Today shows that between 2014 and 2019, Maharashtra and West Bengal had registered the same numbers of human deaths owing to tigers at 74. Uttar Pradesh with 49, Madhya Pradesh with 38 and Uttarakhand with 10 deaths follow the two states.

Between 2014 and 2022, a total 351 people have lost their lives in human tiger conflict.

Human deaths due to tigers in India:

Speaking to Nagpur Today, sources from Forest Officials asserted various relating and preventive measures between these conflicts.

“Dependence of people on the forest, primarily for firewood is the key factor of such incidents. These conflicts mostly occurred in Chandrapur district. Most of the people living in the tiger prone areas earn their livelihood owing to forests. So despite our awareness drive and high level monitoring to inform locals about certain rules to be followed when a tiger along with cubs is around,” sources said.

“Providing better options to earn livelihood, reducing the dependency of such people on forest are the key aspects the administration should work on. Besides, helping in dispersal of tigers with ease and avoiding fermentation, would easily help in achieving this goal,” sources added.

State-wise human deaths due to tigers (between 2014 and 2019)

Shubham Nagdeve