The death of a tigress

The death of a tigress

Article

1. Sarita Subramanian member of Earth Brigade Foundation (EBF) analyzes the Supreme Court order of killing a 5 year old tigress from Pandharkawada region in Maharashtra

Important analysis

2. Supreme Court analysis

• Supreme Court dismissed the plea filed by Earth Brigade Foundation (EBF) and ordered to shoot a five-year-old tigress.
• Tigress is accused of killing and eating a dozen people over the last two years from Pandharkawada region in Maharashtra

3. Argument against killing of tigress by EBF

• All the killing by tigress have taken place within designated forest area or on their periphery
• The forest has scant food for wild herbivores
• There is heavy pressure from illegal grazing, with livestock consuming a huge proportion of the food and water meant for wildlife.
• Human encroachment is rampant; it disrupts contiguity of the habitat and multiplies the chances of man-animal conflict
• Locals take cattle and goats “on contract” from rich owners to graze them illegally in the forest.

4. The Forest Department, mandated to preserve forests and their denizens, appears to be apathetic towards the basic tenets of habitat management.
   5. The National Tiger Conservation Authority protocols says, “Human beings killed due to chance encounters may also be eaten, this is not sufficient for classifying a tiger as a ‘man-eater.’”