Livestock Depredation by Bengal Tigers at Fringe Areas of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, Assam, India: Implications for Large Carnivore Conservation

Abstract

Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris) have cohabited with humans in India for centuries. However, with increasing human populations, human-tiger conflicts (HTC) have increased. Impacts of such conflicts are loss of human life, livestock depredations and retaliatory killings of tigers. Considering that Bengal tiger populations are in decline throughout their range, accurate information regarding the magnitude of the impacts of HTC is needed for tiger conservation. We analysed livestock depredation data collected over three years (April 2008 through March 2011) from villages near the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (KTR) to determine impacts of HTC. During the study period, we documented 518 livestock depredations by tigers. Cattle (Bos taurus) were the primary livestock depredated, with a mean loss of 1.2 livestock head per year per household. Livestock depredation was highest in winter (χ2= 74.2, df = 3, P < 0.05) and occurred mostly at night (χ2= 44.9, df = 3, P < 0.05). The average interim relief amount paid per depredation was US$ 27.78, whereas the average interim relief amount paid per year was US$ 4726.44. We discuss the significance of our findings for mitigating livestock losses by tigers through improved livestock management, and the formation of a core team to overlook conflicts and to implement education programs.

Keywords

• human wildlife conflict
• conservation
• compensation
• human-tiger conflicts
• interim relief
• kaziranga
• livestock depredation
• panthera tigris