Poster presentation 12th International Mammalogical Congress

Determinants of large cat attacks on humans in central India and impact of mitigation interventions (#774)

Claudio Sillero-Zubiri 1 , Harshawardhan S Dhanwatey 2 , Jorgelina Marino 1 , Poonam H Dhanwatey 2
  1. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Tubney, Oxon, United Kingdom
  2. Tiger Research and Conservation Trust (TRACT), Nagpur, India

We examined human and ecological attributes of attacks by tigers Panthera tigris and leopards Panthera pardus on humans in and around the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in central India and implemented a series of interventions to prevent or mitigate conflicts between people and large carnivores. During 2005–2011, 132 carnivore attacks on humans occurred, 71 (54%) of which were lethal to humans. Tigers and leopards were responsible for 78% and 22% of these attacks, respectively. Significantly, more victims were attacked while collecting firewood than during other activities. The number of attacks has declined in the ensuing five years, partly as a response to interventions to change the behaviour of people entering the forest.