Maharashtra: 62 'man-eater' tigers captured from Chandrapur, Gadchiroli districts in last 10 years

By Saurabh Joshi
Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) [India], January 14 : Amid concerns over the escalating conflict between humans and tigers in Maharashtra's Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts, forest department officials claimed to have captured 62 unruly tigers over the past decade.
As habitat loss and human encroachment pose challenges, their record underscores the urgent need for strategic conservation efforts amidst a surge in fatal tiger attacks.
A 15-member rapid response team of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve under the Forest Department has taken on the challenging task of capturing 'man-eater' tigers or conflict tigers in the last ten years.

Officials claim they have tranquillized and captured 62 'conflict' tigers in the last 10 years, including 35 male tigers and 27 tigresses.
From January 2023 to December 2023, the forest team tranquillized and captured 4 tigers from the Gadchiroli Circle, and 8 tigers were captured from the Chandrapur Circle.
Besides, 8 leopards were also captured during this period. The Rapid Response Team is currently searching for the G-18 Tiger in the Gadchiroli Circle, with 70 camera traps installed to aid in the search, they said.
As per officials, there have been several fatal tiger attacks on humans, and local villagers are living in fear due to the menacing presence of big cats. Earlier this year, on January 3, in the Wakdi Forest area of Gadchiroli, a tiger attacked and killed a 55-year-old woman named Mangalabai Vitthal Bole. Similarly, on January 7, another tiger attack resulted in the death of a woman named Sushma Devidas Mandal in the Tintalpeth forest area of Aheri tehsil in Gadchiroli.
While speaking to ANI, Dr Ravikant Khobragade, a veterinary officer posted at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve under Gadchiroli range since 2013, said that they captured 62 'man-eater' or conflict tigers between 2013 and 2013.
He also claimed that around 46 leopards were captured by their team during this period.
"Our team has captured 62 conflict tigers to date. Our approach is to safely capture wild animals that come into conflict. Despite having shoot orders for 3 leopards and 2 tigers, we captured them safely and sent them to the zoo. We have also rescued wild animals like crocodiles, wild boar, and elephants. Some tigers and leopards, deemed dangerous for humans, were successfully rendered unconscious and caged, even after receiving orders to shoot them," Khobragade pointed out.
"Besides, we are also involved in processes related to the radio collaring of elephants and the microchipping of tigers, leopards, and wild dogs," he added.
Dr Khobragade also emphasizes the importance of studying the behaviour of tigers before capturing them. His team, equipped with modern technology and specialized vehicles for dense forests, uses drone cameras, night vision binoculars, ambulances, and hydraulic cages.
"Tigers are sharp and smart animals, not easily caught. We study their behaviour before capturing them, and analysing their movement. In such operations, we make different plans to capture them," he said.
Acknowledging the challenges in the operation, Dr Khobragade mentioned the necessity of patience. "This team, which has captured 62 tigers to date, believes there is no limit to patience in such risky work. Completing an operation may take one, two, three, or even a month. To capture a tiger, one has to sit in one place and wait for 24 to 36 hours," he said.
"Many times there is no vehicle access in the forests. In such situations, it is quite challenging to take the operation to the target. Where our team runs the operation, there is no continuous patch of forest. Due to the lack of a corridor, animals go into agricultural land, and in such a situation, tigers have encounters with civilians," he added.
Ajay Marathe, a shooter from the team, spoke about the challenges faced due to public pressure during rescue operations.
"Due to public pressure, we face many problems during rescues. The behaviour of the animal also matters because it has to be tranquillized and brought onto a particular bed. It is not easy to handle the animal, and it is important to maintain the morale of the team during such difficult operations," he said.
The team members also stated that incidents of man-wildlife conflict are on a concerning rise. They advocate for a strategic approach, emphasizing the need to augment the tiger population. Driven by the goal of safeguarding both the forest ecosystem and human communities, they also stressed the imperative to undertake these three tasks concurrently.