Rajasthan villagers, in retaliatory attack, kill big cat of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve

Representative Image. Pic/iStock

Residents of Uliyana village killed a tiger from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in retaliation after the big cat purportedly mauled to death a man from the village on November 2. Conservation Biologist Dharmendra Khandal condemned the killing of the 12-year-old tiger T-86 and said that cruelty inflicted on such a "magnificent and revered creature" was "profoundly appalling".

Tiger T-86, well known as Chirico, was found dead by the forest department officials on Sunday afternoon. Reportedly, the officials had spotted injury marks on his body which implied that it was attacked with sharp objects and stones which caused its death.

Conservation Biologist Khandal, in his social media post, said, "The autopsy uncovered harrowing details: the tiger's body bore brutal, extensive injuries, with multiple deep axe wounds to the head, some penetrating several inches. Most disturbing was the evidence of a ballistic impact near the face, where singed fur indicated the use of dynamite or powerful firecrackers. This was not simply a defensive act but one driven by revenge and resentment."

He further added, "There should be no place in society for this kind of inhumanity toward animals that embody the splendour of nature - beings that many regard as closest to the divine."

However, since the attack on the tiger, another concern has come to the fore. Reports have suggested that nearly 25 tigers from the Ranthambore reserve have been missing and that the Chief Wildlife Warden of Rajasthan Forest Department has formed a three-member committee to probe into it.

Khandal, who has extensively worked in the landscape, told mid-day that currently there are an estimated 58060 tigers in reserve.

The forest department has acknowledged that some tigers have been missing for the past year, he said and added that there are two primary reasons behind their disappearance.

"Firstly, territorial disputes often force tigers to wander in search of new territories, and some may be killed in these conflicts. Second, the forest department's cattle compensation program is not functioning effectively. Delays in providing compensation to livestock owners whose cattle are killed by tigers lead to retaliation killings of the big cats," Khandal told mid-day.

Speaking further on these disappearances, he said, "Additionally, the breakdown in community engagement initiatives like the village wildlife volunteers that was undertaken by us was not supported properly in the last five years, partly due to some forest department officials. This has hindered vital cooperation with local communities, which is crucial for the success of wildlife conservation efforts in the region."