Tigers are apex predators that normally avoid humans. However, in rare cases, some tigers become man-eaters, preying on human victims. Man-eating tigers have claimed hundreds or even thousands of human lives in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and other parts of Asia. But why does a tiger suddenly start viewing humans as prey? There are several potential reasons that can cause a tiger to become a man-eater.
Decline in Natural Prey
One of the most common causes of tiger attacks on humans is a decline in their natural prey species. Tigers are carnivores that need large amounts of meat to survive. In the wild, they typically prey on large animals like deer, wild boars, and buffaloes. However, habitat loss, poaching, and loss of prey species can deprive a tiger of its natural food sources. Forced by hunger, some tigers start venturing close to human settlements in search of livestock and even people as an easy meal. Studies have found a strong link between drops in wild prey numbers and an increase in man-eating tiger attacks.
Injuries or Physical Disabilities
Tigers that are injured, old, or physically impaired can also turn to man-eating. Hunting natural prey requires strength and skill. Tigers that are injured or ill can find it difficult to catch their usual prey. Such tigers may start targeting livestock or humans as easier sources of food. For example, a tiger nicknamed the “Man-Eater of Bhimashankar” in India is believed to have turned man-eater after sustaining porcupine quills in its paws and getting injured in a fight with a buffalo. Similarly, man-eating tigers have been found to suffer from broken canines or shortage of teeth, making it harder for them to bring down natural prey.
Habituation
In some cases, tigers start losing their natural fear of humans and begin to see them as potential prey. This psychological state is known as “habituation.” It can happen when tigers come to associate humans with food, for instance, by feeding on livestock or scavenging human remains. Such tigers gradually become bolder and start venturing into villages looking for human prey. For example, the “Champawat Tiger,” responsible for over 400 human deaths in Nepal and India, is believed to have turned man-eater after discovering human corpses floating down a river.
Territory Issues
Conflicts over territory can also cause tigers to attack and prey on humans. Tigers are highly territorial animals that mark and defend their turf from other tigers. As forests shrink due to human activities, tigers are forced into closer contact with human settlements encroaching on their lands. Some experts believe that when confronted by human presence in their territories, some tigers display aggressive behavior viewing people as threats. These territorial attacks can turn fatal for humans.
Lack of Tiger Prey
Here is a table showing the declining numbers of some key tiger prey species in India over the years:
| Animal | Estimated Population in 2002 | Estimated Population in 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Chital Deer | 10 million | 6.6 million |
| Sambar Deer | 1 million | 0.6 million |
| Barasingha Deer | 20,000 | 10,000 |
| Wild Boar | 5 million | 3 million |
The data shows that populations of key tiger prey species like deer and wild boars have declined significantly over the years due to habitat loss and poaching. This prey depletion forces tigers to venture near human habitation in search of food, leading to attacks on people and livestock. Conserving the tiger’s natural prey base is crucial to reducing human-tiger conflict.
Anthropogenic Pressures on Tiger Habitats
Various human activities are responsible for depleted prey density and increased tiger-human contact leading to man-eating incidents:
Deforestation
Rampant deforestation and habitat loss due to logging, agriculture, human settlements is a huge threat to tigers and their prey. Between the years 2000 to 2014, India lost nearly 16% of its dense and open forest cover. Habitat degradation due to deforestation forces tigers to move out in search of prey and occupy fragmented forest patches near human habitations.
Mining
Mining projects in forest areas have carved up tiger habitats and blocked important wildlife corridors that tigers use to access prey. Fragmentation makes it difficult for wide-ranging tigers to track dispersed prey populations. It also brings tigers in repeated direct contact and conflict with people.
Hydroelectric Dams
Dam projects submerge large forest areas destroying tiger habitats. They also affect the availability of water and vegetation, impacting herbivore populations that tigers prey on. For example, the Ranganadi dam in Arunachal Pradesh led to rampant deer poaching by workers, affecting prey densities.
Overgrazing by Livestock
In forests around human habitations, excessive livestock grazing depletes vegetation cover and reduces prey densities. It also drives tigers towards villages and cattle camps searching for easily available livestock prey.
Roads and Railways
Linear intrusions like roads and railways facilitate access for poachers even in core forest areas. They fragment habitats and disrupt tiger movements. Road and rail kills of deer and other prey also reduce food availability for tigers.
Case Studies of Man-Eating Tigers
Let’s look at some real-life examples of man-eating tigers to understand the specific factors behind their human killing sprees:
The Champawat Tiger
This female tiger killed over 200 people in Nepal and India between 1902-1907. She was driven from her territory in the Champawat district after being wounded by a poacher. Unable to hunt natural prey, she turned to easier human targets, travelling over hundreds of miles attacking people in villages across Nepal and India. She was eventually shot dead in Kumaon.
The Leopard of Rudraprayag
Also called the Panar Leopard, this male leopard killed over 125 people in the 1920s in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. It was injured by a poacher leaving it with a disabled forelimb. This restricted its ability to hunt wild prey and made it switch to human victims. It was eventually killed by the famous hunter Jim Corbett.
The Panna Man-Eaters
The Kuno-Palpur forests in Panna once harboured a large tiger population preying on abundant chital deer. But the deer population crashed due to poaching to meet demands for antlers used in traditional Chinese medicine. At least three tigers turned man-eaters in this region between 1989-1994, collectively killing 24 people. The last surviving tiger was captured and relocated to a zoo.
Preventing Tigers from Turning Man-Eaters
Here are some measures that can help prevent tigers from becoming man-eaters:
Conserve Tiger Habitats
Saving remaining forests and connecting fragmented habitats through wildlife corridors can expand the prey base and reduce tiger intrusions into human settlements. Monitoring habitat degradation through satellite data can help identify areas needing restoration.
Crack Down on Poaching
Strict enforcement to curb poaching of tiger prey species is needed to ensure ample prey densities within protected reserves and forested habitats. Drones, camera traps, sniffer dog squads can improve surveillance against poaching.
Relocate Villages from Tiger Areas
Voluntary relocation of villages from within critical tiger habitats can reduce human presence and chances of conflict. Families are compensated monetarily and provided alternative livelihoods.
Limit Livestock Grazing
Regulating livestock presence and grazing in protected forests minimises depletion of prey vegetation and prevents depredation by tigers. Promoting stall-feeding can reduce livestock dependence on forested areas.
Rapid Response to Conflict
Having trained rapid response teams to swiftly intervene when tigers stray near villages can prevent attacks. Timely capturing and relocating conflict-prone tigers breaks the man-eating cycle. Tracking collars effectively monitor tiger movements.
Compensate Livestock Loss
Programs to provide timely compensation for cattle kills from government or conservation funds discourage communities from retaliatory poaching of tigers. It improves tolerance for predators straying outside reserves.
Conclusion
While tiger attacks on humans are rare occurrences, certain individuals can become habitual man-eaters due to factors like prey depletion, injuries, and habitat loss. Preserving wilderness habitats and tiger prey, curbing poaching, mitigating human intrusions into forests, and managing tiger-human interactions are key to ensuring tigers do not view humans as food. With India having over 70% of the global tiger population, policies encouraging coexistence are vital for the survival of this endangered species. The cases of man-eating tigers underscore the importance of maintaining ecological balance and limiting anthropogenic pressures on predator habitats and prey populations.