India has more than doubled her tiger population since 2010. While this is certainly great news, it is still too early to celebrate. Unfortunately, a population recovery has been met with significant habitat destruction and forest fragmentation. Other than preventing consistent, long term gene flow, this encourages human tiger conflict. A lack of natural habitat and prey, results in tigers predating on livestock and sometimes, even humans. Retaliation is inevitable, and famous, apparent man eating tigers, such as Avni, have been put down for this. Currently, efforts are being made around India to mitigate human tiger conflict.One of the most prominent solutions is by improving the lives of indeginious communities, to minimise the long term financial costs of the conflict, while also allowing communities to voluntaringly resettle away from reserves. The Last Wildnerness Foundation is one such organization which is working at the grassroot level, directly with indeginious communities to prevent conflict.In Episode 14, Vidya Venkatesh, the director of LWF talks about the intricasies of human tiger conflict, the potential of alternative livliehoods for conservation and their amazing work in uplifting the Baiga people, a community ostracized for formerly being poachers. In fact, we at Think Wildlife Foundation are supporting this project by providing them with a platform to go online! Get full access to The Think Wildlife Podcast at anishbanerjee.substack.com/subscribe

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related