Pilibhit: For the first time since its establishment, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) has recorded a sugarcane harvesting season without any human-tiger conflicts, despite multiple instances of tigers straying into nearby fields, officials confirmed. They attributed this achievement to proactive safety measures implemented to protect communities living near the reserve, reports The Times of India.
“This success is the result of several initiatives introduced over the past year,” said Manish Singh, Divisional Forest Officer of PTR. “We installed around 1,070 solar lights around 90 villages identified as high-risk areas. These lights helped deter tigers from approaching human settlements.”
Singh also highlighted the expansion of the Bagh Mitras program, which saw additional deployments and enhanced training in wildlife conflict management. “A network of 140 trained Bagh Mitras acted as the first response teams, immediately alerting forest officials when tigers were spotted. Their quick action helped us track and safely rescue the big cats before any conflicts occurred,” he explained.
Additionally, the Bagh Express, a mobile awareness campaign, played a crucial role in educating villagers on how to react when encountering a tiger. “Villagers have started allowing tigers to retreat safely into the jungle instead of reacting with panic. This behavioral shift is a promising sign,” Singh added.
The risk of human-tiger conflict typically peaks during the sugarcane harvesting season, as tigers often mistake the fields for forested aeas due to their dense growth and connectivity with nearby forests. According to wildlife experts, sugarcane fields provide a safe hiding spot for tigresses protecting their cubs from dominant male tigers that may attack them.
Since PTR was designated a tiger reserve on June 9, 2014, there have been 59 fatal tiger-human encounters. In previous years, authorities have rescued and relocated 20 tigers to zoos or different forest areas. The 2022-23 harvesting season alone saw eight fatalities between November 11, 2022, and March 26, 2023.
The increasing tiger population at PTR has contributed to these challenges. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the number of tigers in PTR surged from 23 in 2013 to over 72 in 2022, leading to overcrowding and forcing some tigers to seek alternative habitats in sugarcane fields.
With the success of recent initiatives, authorities remain hopeful that human-tiger conflicts in the region will continue to decline.
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