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    MAN ANIMAL CONFLICT

    (A STUDY OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS

    IN EASTERN VIDARBHA REGION OF MAHARASHTRA)

    YASH VIR SINGH, IFS

    CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS (WORKING PLAN)CHANDRAPUR (MAHARASHTRA)

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     ___________________________________________________________________

    Abstract:

    This study was conducted in the forest areas of Gondia and Bhandara districts in

    eastern Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The forest areas of this region are situated

     between the Pench Tiger Reserve and Tadoba- Andhari Tiger Reserves and act as

    corridor between these two meta-populations of tiger. The objective of the study is to

    examine the present status of man-animal conflict, its causes and mitigation measures

    to be adopted in order to contain the problem. It is observed that the forest areas of the

    region are excellent habitats for the wild animals in general and tiger in particular.

    Gond and Mandia tribals and other forest dwellers have been traditionally living in

    co-existence with wild animals since ages. However the man-animal conflict has

    increased alarmingly in recent years. The study reveals that the competition between

    man and wild animals for food and water in the fringes and habitat fragmentation are

    the two main causes of man-animal conflict in the region. The issues need to be

    solved sincerely if the tiger and other wild animals are to be saved from local

    extinction in this area. A few mitigation measures have been detailed in this article.

    Keywords: Man-animal conflict, habitat degradation, Habitat fragmentation, ex-

     gratia

     _____________________________________________________________________

    Introduction  –   Human and wild animals both are integral components of forest

    ecosystem. Their presence affects each other even in normal conditions however, they

    live in harmony unless their interests come to conflicts and their activities start harming

    each other. Here animals mean wild animals like Tiger, Panther, Bear, Bison, Wild

     boar, Wolf, Hyena, Wild dog, Elephant and Crocodile which are potentially powerful

    of harming human-beings or their livestock, crops and other property. Man animal

    conflicts are manifested by such incidents as a human-being killed or injured by wild

    animal on the one hand and any wild animal is injured or killed by a man on the other

    hand. Villagers living in and around such jungle areas where wild animals also have

    their habitat are most affected in such conflicts. The cattle reared by man are killed or

    injured by wild animals in and around these jungle areas and his crops are also

    damaged by many herbivores like deer, wild boar, blue bull, bison, monkeys and

    elephants.

    Eastern Vidarbha is a moderately thick populated region having good and sizeable

    forest cover which is a part of “Dandakaranya”. Here tribals and forest dwellers have

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     been living in and around forests since ages. Wild animals also live in these forests

    even since prior to human beings. The conflicts between humans and wild animals are

    not new. A seal (which is about 4500 years old) recovered in Harappan excavations

    depicts a tiger below a tree and a man sitting on that tree. Because of competition for

    natural resources, need and greed of the people; there is heavy biotic pressure on these

    forests also and people have started penetrating deeper and deeper in the habitat of

    wild animals which is giving rise to conflicts between them. Sometimes conflicts are

    only because of accidents and without any kind of intention either by man or wild

    animal. Therefore, “Man-animal conflicts” are on the rise  presently and this is a hot

    topic for news, discussion and concern these days. Almost every day, some incidents of

    man-animal conflict are coming to the notice resulting either into loss of life of wild

    animal or loss of life or property to the man in some form or other. Newspapers are full

    of such incidents narrating stories of how a tiger mauled some person who had gone to

    forest for fetching some fuel wood or some minor forest produce and such incidence

    where a panther was poisoned by villagers for taking revenge or some bear is beaten to

    death by villagers just out of panic.

    2. Material and methods:

    2.1 Flora of Eastern Vidarbha

    The forests of Vidarbha consist mainly of Reserved Forests and Protected Forests.

    However, there is a kind of forest found in villages of Vidarbha which is legally known

    as Zudpi Jungle and it is found in small patches around the villages mainly shrubby in

    nature from which it derive its name. Most of the forest occurring in this region comes

    in the major forest type, Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests as per Champion &

    Seth classification. Following are the main forest sub-types. 

    2.1.1 Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests (5A/C3): 

    Teak is present occasionally. The main species are Terminalia tomentosa, (Ain),

    Anogeissus latifolia (Dhaoda), Chloroxylon swietenia (Bherra), Albizia odoratissima 

    (Chichua), Cassia fistula (Bahawa), Xylia xylocarpa (Suriya),  Pterocarpus marsupium

    (Bija), Salmalia malabaricum (Semal), Terminalia bellerica (Behada), Dalbergia

    latifolia (Shishum), Syzigium cumini (Jambul), Zizyphus sps, (Bor), Emblica officinalis

    (Aonla), Lagerstroemia parviflora (Lenida), Cleistanthus collinus (Garari) etc. Bamboo

    ( Dendrocalamus strictus ) is also found mixed on quite large tracts of forests.

    2.1.2 Dry Teak Bearing Forests (5A/C1b):

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    Principal species is Tectona grandis (Teak) and the associates are Ougeinia

    dalbergioides (Tiwas), Acacia catechu (Khair), Gmelina arborea (Shivan) and

    Anogeissus latifolia (Dhawada) etc.

    Table1: Extent of Forests in eastern Vidarbha districts of Gondia & Bhandara

    Name of Unit Gondia district (sq. km) Bhandara District (sq. km)

    Gondia Forest Division 1731.785 -

    Bhandara Forest Division - 884.994

    F.D.C.M.Ltd. 327.196 273.196

    Research Wing - 4.783

     Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary 153.663 -

     New Nagzira WL Sanctuary 72.877 -

     Navegaon National Park 129.552 -

     New Navegaon N P 122.757 -

    Umrer Karandla WL Sanctuary(part) - 40.582

    Total Forest Area 2537.83 1203.555

    Total Geographical area 5425 3716.65

    % Forest area to Geographic. Area 46.78% 32.38%

    2.2 Fauna: Carnivores  are represented mainly by the tiger (Panthera tigris) and

    Leopard  (Panthera pardus). Other carnivores like Striped hyena  (Hyaena hyaena),

    Wolves (Canis lupus), Wild dog or  dhole (Cuon alpinus),  jungle cat (Felis chaus), and

    Small Indian civet  (Viverricula indica) are also seen occasionally. Sloth bear  

    (Melursus ursinus) is also quite common.  Jackal  (Canis aureus), and common palm

    civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)  are also found. Chital  (Axis axis), sambar  

    (Cervus unicolor), Gaur   (Bos frontalis Lambert),  Nilgai  (Boselaphus tragocamelus),

    wild pig (Sus scrofa),  barking deer  (Muntiacus muntjac) and chowsingha (Tetraceros

    quadricornis) and occasionally Chinkara  (Gazella bennetti) are the wild ungulates.

    Common langur  (Semnopithecus entellus), rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), Indian

     porcupine  (Hystrix indica) and common mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii), black-

    naped hare (Lepus nigricollis nigricollis) also occur in this area.

    Table 2: Estimated population of wild animals in Bhandara & Gondia districts:

    Name of species Inside PAs Outside PAs Total

    Tiger 14 4 18

    Leopard 30 12 42

    Sloth Bear 75 45 120

    Bison 400 100 500

    Other herbivores 2500 1000 3500

    Wild Boars Abundant abundant abundantSource: Dy. C.F. territorial Gondia & Bhandara

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_hyenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_hyenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dholehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dholehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dholehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_cathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_cathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_cathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloth_bearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloth_bearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradoxurus_hermaphroditushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradoxurus_hermaphroditushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradoxurus_hermaphroditushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(deer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(deer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_pighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_pighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_deerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_deerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_deerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chowsinghahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chowsinghahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chowsinghahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinkarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinkarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungulatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungulatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhesus_macaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhesus_macaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhesus_macaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpestes_edwardsiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpestes_edwardsiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpestes_edwardsiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpestes_edwardsiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhesus_macaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungulatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinkarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chowsinghahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_deerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_pighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(deer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradoxurus_hermaphroditushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloth_bearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_cathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dholehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_hyenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore

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    2.3 Kinds of Man-Animal conflicts:

    The incidents of Man-Animal Conflicts can be categorized into following major

    types:

    i.  Human beings get killed or injured by wild animals in human wild animal

    Conflicts.

    ii.  Livestock/Cattle reared by man get killed or injured in human wild animal

    conflicts.

    iii.  Crop cultivated by man damaged in human wild animal conflicts.

    iv.  Wild animals get killed or injured in human wild animal conflicts.

    The wild animals involved in these conflicts in this area are mostly Tiger, Leopard,

    Wild boar, Bear, Hyena, Blue bull, Chital, Sambar, Monkeys etc. In eastern Vidarbha

    region of the state of Maharashtra where I have served, the population of wild boars

    has enormously increased specially on the fringes of the forest areas where human

    habitation is dense. There is a category of forest called “Zudpi Jungle” occurring near

    villages of Vidarbha which is found mostly in small shrubby patches in addition to

    reserved and protected forest which has become virtually home of wild boars. The

    number of cases of injuries inflicted to human beings by wild boar is much more

    than by any other wild animal. The crops like paddy, sugarcane, banana, pulses and

    vegetables etc are badly damaged mostly by wild boars, deer and blue bulls in this

    area which raid into the crops frequently leaving the owner farmers crying and

    cursing. Reports are also frequently received of some strayed Tiger, Panther or Bear

    taking toll of human being near protected areas of Nagzira Sanctuary or elsewhere.

    There are incidents of tigers, panthers, sloth bears killed by poisoning by villagers in

    retaliation.

    Table 3: Man-animal conflicts recorded during last 3 years:

    Year

    Human death  Human injury  Cattle kills  Crop damage  Total 

    No.

    of

    cases

    ex-gratia  

    paid (Rs.

    In lakhs)

    No.

    of

    cases

    ex-gratia  

    paid (Rs.

    In lakhs)

    No.

    of

    cases

    ex- 

    gratia  

    paid

    (Rs. In

    lakhs)

    No. of

    cases

    ex- 

    gratia  

    paid

    (Rs. In

    lakhs)

    No. of

    cases

    ex-gratia  

    paid (Rs.

    In lakhs)

    2010-11 3 6.00 139 31.65 174 11.97 460 5.44 776 55.06

    2011-12 4 8.00 73 6.35 202 14.64 462 14.34 741 43.33

    2012-13 7 14.00 41 4.63 115 6.40 1876 81.68 2039 106.71

    Total 14 28.00 253 42.62 491 33.02 2798 101.46 3556 205.10

    Source: Dy. C.F. territorial Gondia & Bhandara

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    Some photographs showing the problem of man-animal conflict:

    A man injured by tiger

    A woman killed by tiger

    A woman injured by wild pigA cattle killed by tiger

    A woman killed by tiger Woman killed by tiger

    Paddy crop damaged by wild pig

    Sugarcane crop damaged by wild pig 

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    A tigress declared man-eater shot dead near

    Sakoli (Maharashtra) by forest department on

    12.01.2013 after two failed attempts of

    tranquilization 

    Retaliatory killing of leopard near Adyal A man killed by leopard near Umarzari

    3 Results and Discussion:3.1 Causes of Man-Animal Conflicts:

    i.  Habitat fragmentation and shrinking of habitat give rise to shrinking of space,

    food etc in the forest which is required for the wild animals which result in

    animals stray out of habitat in search of food, water or shelter. This habitat

    fragmentation may be result of many reasons, for example, Construction of

    roads especially big Highways and canals passing through dense jungles and

    the big mines. I have noticed Cheetals and Sambars in drought season fell into

    irrigation canals of Gosi khurd dam which are passing tens of kilometers

    through the tiger habitat and the animals could not come out and died there.

    ii.  Encroachment in the forest lands by local people has resulted in shrinkage of

    wildlife habitats especially on the fringes which has increased the pressure on

    the limited natural resources in the forest areas.

    iii.  Increased disturbance due to collection of fuel wood, fodder, NTFPs, water

    etc. from the forests has also increased the incidences of man-animal conflict.

    I have seen numerous incidences where the cattle graziers were killed/ mauled

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     by tiger/ panther/ bear. The number of graziers/ wood collectors alone mauled

     by wild animals is more than other types of human injuries/ death caused by

    the wild animals.

    iv.  Increase in area under cultivation around wildlife habitats and changed

    cropping pattern have also contributed to increased man-animal conflict.

    People have started growing commercial crops like sugarcane and banana,

    which provide good hiding place for the wild animals like wild boar, sloth

     bear and panther.

    v.  It is observed that the local people have to go deeper and deeper, year by year

    for fetching firewood and other forest produce for their bonafide use, because

    of degradation of forests in the fringes. This has increased the number of

    incidences of man-animal conflict

    vi.  Infestation of wildlife habitat by the invasive exotic weeds like Lantana,

    Eupatorium and Parthenium have resulted in decreased availability of edible

    grasses for the wild herbivores. As a result, herbivores come out of forest area

    and cause depredation of agricultural crops on the fringes.

    vii.  Monoculture of teak in the large scale forest plantations raised by the Forest

    Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (FDCM) has also adversely

    affected the wildlife habitat value of the forest areas.

    viii.  Most incidences of man-animal conflicts are noticed during summer when

    water becomes scarce. The livestock and wild animals have to share the

    limited water sources on the fringes or inside forest. Human interference with

    the natural drainage system in forest areas and diversion of water towards

    habitation has further complicated the issue.

    ix.  In some forest areas, the number of wild animals especially prolific breeders

    like wild pig has increased beyond the carrying capacity of the habitat

    concerned. Hence wild animals stray out of forests cause man-animal conflict.

    x.  Decreased prey base caused by poaching of herbivores has resulted in

    carnivores moving out of forest in search of prey and indulge in cattle lifting.

    The Gond and Mandia tribals celebrate the  Pola festival in which community

    hunting is a tradition which is still in practice clandestinely despite the sincere

    efforts by the forest department to contain it.

    xi.  Sometimes the wild animals and human come in sudden contact and out of

    fear of each other, they harm each other accidently. During tendu patta

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    collection season every year, such accidents frequently occur leaving many

    tendu leaves’ collectors mauled or killed by Bear, Leopard, Tiger and Wild

     boar etc.

    3.2 Mitigation measures of Man- Animal Conflict: man animal conflictsresult in very bad effect on society as well as on wild animals. The family of the

    victim is left weeping and helpless. Sometimes, the only earning member of the

    family is killed in the incident. The farmers sustain big losses due to crop damages by

    wild animals season after season which may force them to commit suicide. We

    cannot completely stop Man- Animal Conflicts cent percent however, Man- Animal

    Conflicts can be reduced to minimum and can be controlled if some of the following

     precautions are taken and measure adopted sincerely.

    i.  To control poaching : Poaching of wild animals should be stopped so that the

    no of wild animals can stabilize at its carrying capacity which would reach

    equilibrium in the ecosystem and this equilibrium between the numbers of

     prey animals and predators in the forest ecosystem would be maintained.

    ii.  To undertake SMC works in the habitat: To stop soil erosion and to

    increase water availability in the forests, soil and moisture conservation

    measures (SMC) like vegetative checks dams, loose boulder check-dams,

    cement plugs, nala bunding, water tanks, should be taken in the forest so that

    water regime of the forest is increased in a natural way which will increase the

     productivity of the forests as well as water availability in the habitat. Then the

    sufficient food and water for wild life will be available and the number of

    animals straying out of forest will be controlled.

    iii.  To stop monoculture and increase number of edibles miscellaneous

    species:  We should not plant monoculture of species like teak, instead we

    should go for mixed plantations of miscellaneous, bamboo and fruit species

    which will provide more food for animals in the forest. Hiding shelter to

    animals as well as provide food for most herbivores.

    iv.  Stop fragmentation of wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors: While going

    for construction of dams, long canals for irrigation and Highways through the

    forest areas, we should avoid the fragmentation of wildlife habitat and take

     proper care so that the connectivity through wildlife corridors is not disturbed.

    Animals cannot pass these canals and roads easily and they are localized and

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    their natural balance is disturbed. Big mines can also fragment the habitat

    hence to be avoided. We should also avoid the corridors of wildlife joining

    one habitat with nearby habitat which is essential for their sustenance. Rajeev

    Sagar (Bavanthadi) Project is a big inter-state irrigation project of M.P and

    Maharashtra which is built on the river, Bavanthadi flowing along the inter-

    state border. Its canals are very deep and horrifying especially when those

     pass through hilly areas in Tumser taluka. By mere observation by eyes, one

    can imagine how difficult it is for wildlife to pass across these canals to go to

    the other side of the habitat. Hence the project authority has been directed to

    construct 30 meters wide passages made of concrete at least at 17 suitable

    identified locations as a condition of the project stipulated in the approval

    under Forest Conservation Act. One project of widening of N.H-6, between

    villages Lakhni and Sakoli is withheld because it will cut the important

    wildlife corridor which joins two habitats. The wildlife experts have suggested

    to build many kilometer long fly-overs to facilitate easy free way for wildlife

    under this to mitigate the bad effect of widening of highway. Due to huge cost

    involved in this, the National Highway Authority of India could not do it and

    this project is still held up in the interest of wildlife.

    v. 

    Providing LPG to villagers  –  LPG should be provided to those villagers who

    frequently go to the forest areas specially wildlife habitats to fetch fuel wood

    for their chullahs so that they may stop penetrating into forest and stop

    inviting Man- Animal Conflicts. These people are most vulnerable to Man-

    Animal Conflicts. Maharashtra Forest Department has started in big way to

    distribute LPG to villagers residing on the fringes under Joint Forest

    Management Program and Village Eco-development Program which will go a

    long way simultaneously to conserve forests and wildlife o and to reduce man

    animal conflicts.

    vi.  Awareness Raising  –  People should be made more and more aware through

    meetings and pamphlets etc that they should avoid going deep into the forest

    areas. If they have to go in any case they should go in groups and they should

    keep talking to each other to detract the wild animals. School children in

    vulnerable villages should be educated about the importance of wildlife and

    human co-existence with it.

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    vii.  Solar Fencing around agriculture fields  –   Agriculture fields situated near

    wildlife habitat/forest areas can be protected by stone fencing or solar fencing.

    Solar fencing has been tried with quite good effect in Wardha District of

    Maharashtra. The District Planning and Development committee is ready to

    give financial support to the farmers for erecting solar fencing.

    viii.  Controlling crop pattern  –  Crops like sugarcane, Banana, Bajra, tuhar should

    not be allowed to be grown near forest areas. These crops attract wildlife for

    food as well as good hiding place.

    ix.  Paying Ex-gratia/Compensation to the people  –   Ex-gratia /compensation

    should be paid promptly to the victims of wildlife attack so that the people will

    not become enemy of the wild animals. Otherwise people tend to take revenge

    from the wild animals by killing them by poison, trap, hacking or shooting as

    has been noticed in many cases. Govt. of Maharashtra vide its G.R no.WLP-

    2012/337/F1, Mumbai dated 12 April 2013 has enhanced the rates of

    compensation. Now, ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh each is paid to the

    successor/kin of the victims who are killed by tiger, leopard, bear, bison, wolf,

    wild boar, elephant, wild dog and crocodile. Rs 4 lakh is given for permanent

    disability and Rs 1 lakh is paid to seriously injured person. Likewise

    compensation up to maximum 12 thousand is paid for cattle killed by wild

    animals and upto Rs one thousand for treatment of a livestock. The

    compensation at different prescribed rates is also paid to farmers whose crops

    are damaged by mentioned wild animals viz Bison, Deer, Wild Boar, Blue

    Bull, Monkey and Elephant. Public resentment may be pacified more

    effectively by still increasing the rates of ex-gratia/ compensation.

    x.  Relocation/Rehabilitation of problematic and disadvantaged wild

    animal: If a wild animal like tiger, panther, or bear has become disadvantaged

    or problematic , this fact to be doubly confirmed and then only such animal

    should be caught either by tranquilization or by trapping cages, safely. Then it

    should be relocated in suitable habitat or be kept in a zoo or rescue centers for

    all its remaining life. However, it is not advisable to keep the stressed

     problematic animal to be released near the problem area where people may

    harm that animal. It is better to relocate this kind of animals by following the

     prescribed protocols in this regard. Central zoo authority, New Delhi. Should

    allow many more ‘Wildlife Homes’  and Rescue Centers  for such animals

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    should be created near every tiger reserve and big sanctuary in the Country.

    One such rescue home is needed near Nagzira wildlife sanctuary also.

    4. Conclusion: Eastern Vidarbha districts of Gondia & Bhandara abound in rich

    forests which are very good wildlife habitat for tiger as well as other wildlife. The

    govt. should avoid diversion of forest land of this habitat and its corridors for any

    other purpose in the first place. Encroachments in the habitat or in its fringes are to be

    removed and to be discouraged. Local people should avoid going alone and going

    deep into the forests. Ex-gratia/ compensation are to be paid promptly and timely

    without requiring much paperwork. A ‘Wildlife  Rescue Center cum Home’  is

    required to be established near Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary in eastern Vidarbha for

    sheltering disadvantaged wild animals. Awareness raising to be done so that people

    continue their habit and practice of co-existence with wildlife in this region which

    will go a long way in protection and conservation of wildlife and in mitigation of

    man- wild animal conflict.

    5. References: This article is based on the field experience of the author. The

    statistical information and the photographs have been provided by the Deputy

    Conservator of Forests concerned. 

    A man mauled by tiger taking treatment at a Hospital

    ----------------------xxxx------------------------