Human-Animal Conflict

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Tiger T-104 was put down by the forest department of Bihar in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran district of the state according to protocol laid down by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for man-eater tigers.

• The tiger in question was a three-year-old male, who had killed 10 people in the district. It was shot dead on the orders of the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) of Bihar.  
• Four years ago, Avni or T1, the man-eating tigress of Yavatmal district in Maharashtra, had been similarly eliminated after she mauled 13 people to death.
• The elimination of the tiger has raised eyebrows since the animal is listed under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA). 
• But the NTCA has laid down Standing Operating Procedures (SoP) for declaring tigers and leopards as ‘man-eaters’, if they pose threats to human lives.

Valmiki Tiger Reserve 

• It forms the eastern most limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India and is the only tiger reserve of Bihar. 
• Situated in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zone of the country, the forest has combination of bhabar and terai tracts. 
• Valmiki Tiger Reserve lies in the north-western (mostly in the West Champaran) district of Bihar.
• The pristine forest and wilderness of VTR is an excellent example of Himalayan Terai landscape.
• The VTR forest area covers 901.07 sq km, out of which Wildlife Sanctuary is 880.78 sq km. and National Park is about 335.64 sq. km.
• VTR is one of the eleven Level 1 Tiger Conservation Units (TCU) in the Indian sub- continent, where long term survival of Tigers (Panthera tigris) is possible.
• The Reserve has also been designated as Important Bird Area (IBA) by the Indian Bird Conservation Network.

Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972

• In India, wildlife conservation and protection are maintained under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The Act is a product of the times when environmental jurisprudence was rapidly developing in India with due credit to judicial activism.
• The current Act is comprehensive and protects all kinds of animals – amphibians to birds, mammals, and reptiles and specified plants that cannot be destroyed and damaged without the approval of the government.
• It provides for the appointment of wildlife advisory Board, Wildlife warden, their powers, duties etc.

Institutions

• The Act provides for setting up of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries etc.
• The constitution of Central Zoo Authority.
• The Act also provides the constitution of Indian Board of Wildlife (IBWL)
• It also sets up the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
• Hunting and poaching are prohibited under the Act with exceptions such as special permission may be granted by CWW for purposes like education, scientific research, etc.
• Constitution of the National Board for Wildlife with the PM as its chairperson.
• 6 schedules include protection to both animals and plants including Vermin (specified in Schedule five)
• Recognition of Protected Areas (PAs) such as Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks.