To reduce the increasing attacks of ‘Sherkhan’ in ‘Mowgli ke Ghar’ i.e. Pench Tiger Reserve, Tiger Chaupal is being set up in every village. In 130 eco villages under Pench forest, villagers are being made aware about reducing the conflict between tigers and humans by giving presentations in short films and projectors. This is happening because attacks around the forest have increased due to the increasing number of tigers.
Forest officials believe that awareness among the residents of the forest area will increase and will help in preventing conflict between tigers and humans. The villagers living near the forest of Pench National Park spread over about 1169 square km are being informed about the behavior of the tiger by setting up a chaupal at night.
Utility in the forest is being explained in detail
From October 16, Chaupal is being set up in seven to eight villages every day with the help of Pench Management officers and employees, local public representatives and enlightened citizens. In this, the villagers are being told in detail about the ways to avoid tiger attack, its behavior and its usefulness in the forest.
Challenges coming forward if tigers increase
In Chaupal, villagers are also being taught how to defend themselves in case of a tiger attack. The reason for the tiger’s arrival near the village is also being explained. In the tiger census of the year 2022, presence of 123 tigers has been found in Pench Tiger Reserve and its adjoining forest area. Whereas in 2018 their number was 87.
Tiger-human conflict amid challenges of limited forest area in the district
Tiger-human conflict is being seen amidst the increasing population of tigers and the challenges of limited forest area in the district. In the last three years, 9 incidents of tiger-human conflict have come to light in Pench Park area. In these, humans were injured in 6 incidents while deaths occurred in three. The maximum number of incidents of tiger-human conflict have come to light in the year 2023-24.
shrinking grazing land
More incidents are coming to light during cattle grazing in the forest. The grazing land of Revenue village is shrinking. Shepherds are reaching the dense forest with their cattle. In such a situation, many times shepherds also become victims of tigers during attacks on cattle.
Incidents that came to light in Pench area in last three years
Year |
animal injured |
loss of animals |
loss of life |
casualties |
21-22 |
25 | 475 | 1 | 1 |
| 22-23 | 31 | 499 | 1 | 0 |
| 23-24 | 31 | 433 | 1 | 5 |
Incidents occurred in the South General Forest area
Year Animal loss Human loss Human injured
Year |
loss of animals |
loss of life |
casualties |
| 2021 | 607 | 03 | 08 |
| 2023 | 1056 | 04 | 20 |
| 2024 | 1281 | 05 | 24 |
Advising to protect yourself first
Forest officials are advising the villagers in Chaupal not to take their cattle for grazing in the dense forest and to protect themselves first in case of a tiger attack on cattle. When the shepherd tries to save the cattle from the jaws of the tiger, the tiger becomes its prey. In such a situation, it is necessary to save human lives.
It is important to be careful
People are being asked to use torches while going to the fields at night and to travel in groups around the forest. To prevent attacks on domestic animals, villagers are being told not to tie their cattle near the forest at night and to look after the cattle by building a safe cow shed at home.
Most of the area falls in Pench-Kanha Wildlife Corridor.
The special thing is that most of the forest adjacent to Pench Park falls in the South General Forest Division in the Pench-Kanha Wildlife Corridor. The presence of tigers coming out of the pen to establish their territory remains a wildlife corridor. Incidents of tiger attacks often occur even in the forests adjacent to the villages situated in this area.
