The surge in incidents of tigers straying into human habitation on the periphery of Nagarahole Rajiv Gandhi National Park and Brahmagiri foothills has brought to the fore the rise in man-animal conflict in Kodagu.
The tigers claiming cattle has created fear in the minds of the people.
There has been a rise in the tiger menace in the last five years in Kutta, Nanacchi, Brahmagiri haadi, Nalkeri, Kanoor, Vaddaramadu, Karmadu, Kottegeri, Nittur, Balele, Mallur, Devanoor, Rajapura, Sulugodu, Konanakatte, Thithimathi, Maldare, Brahmagiri range, Birunani, Beeruga, Kurchi and Srimangala areas.
Hundreds of cattle have been killed in the last five years in a 50-km radius from Birunani to Maldare. Owing to the continuous rise in the tiger menace, several people have stopped rearing cattle.
With the increase in the movement of tigers in Kottageri, Srimangala and T Shettigeri, the labourers are scared to work in coffee estates.
Following the uproar of the villagers, the forest department personnel have placed cages in different parts of the district to capture the tigers.
Prabhakar from Karmadu said, “There is a rise in poaching in Nagarahole. The tigers are facing a shortage of food. There has been a decline in the population of deer, barking deer and Indian Gaur in the forest. Hence, tigers have started straying into villages in search of food.”
Chappudeera Cariappa, a coffee grower from Nokya-Thithimathi, said, “The density of the forest has declined. All the huge trees have been felled illegally. The destruction of the forest has forced tigers to stray into coffee estates. Further, the cattle in Devamacchi, Maldare and Mavakal are left into the forest for grazing. This has made the tigers stray into villages in search of prey.”
Srimangala RFO Veerendra says, “It is challenging to capture the tigers. The cage weighs five tonnes. We need more staff to take the cages around. Further, the tigers do not stay in one particular place.”
Tiger Conservation Centre, Nagarahole, Director Mahesh Kumar, said, “Nagarahole, covering 843 square kilometre area has 125 tigers. The poaching of wild animals had commenced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Measures have been taken to check the poaching activities. Several poachers have been arrested. Measures will be taken to capture tigers foraying into villages.”
Kunjangada Bose Madappa, a member of Wildlife First, Srimangala, said, “Cubs separated from their mother are in search of territory. Further, aged tigers are straying into coffee estates to prey on cattle and animals. The villagers should inform the forest department officials if they come across tigers in their area.”