Adivasi woman killed in suspected tiger attack in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

The 50-year-old resident of Padi village, had entered a thicket to collect firewood on Tuesday evening when the suspected attack took place; village residents staged a road roko demanding action; Forest Department officials have said a search is on for the animal, with camera traps

A 50-year-old Adivasi woman is believed to have been killed by a tiger in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) late on Tuesday evening. Her remains were found by Forest Department staff on Wednesday morning.

The deceased was identified as Mari, a woman residing in the tribal village known as Padi adjoining the Theppakadu Elephant Camp. Forest Department officials said that Mari had entered a thicket near the village on Tuesday evening to gather firewood for use in her house. Tribals in the area use firewood for internal heating and for cooking, officials said. When she failed to return home, local residents informed the Forest Department, who launched a search for her. However, due to a lack of visibility and for safety reasons, the search could not be carried out thoroughly in the vicinity, and her remains were only discovered on Wednesday morning.

Forest Department officials said the animal had also eaten a portion of her body and had then left the area. Following the incident, residents of the village staged a protest and blocked the main junction connecting Gudalur to Mysore. They demanded that the Forest Department capture the animal. Deputy Directors of MTR (Core and Buffer Zone), reached the spot and held talks with the residents and managed to convince them to discontinue their protest, promising action.

When contacted, P. Arunkumar, Deputy Director (Buffer Zone), said special teams had been formed by the Forest Department to comb the area and to see if the animal that attacked the woman was still there. Mr. Arunkumar said that camera traps have also been placed around the area to identify whether the woman was attacked by a tiger or another carnivore. “We are also clearing the area surrounding the village of lantana camara plants, to minimize the risk of animals using the weeds to hide in,” he said, adding that residents have been asked to not venture into the forests to collect firewood.

In December 2022, a Forest Department anti-poaching watcher also suffered injuries to his hands and body when he was attacked by a tiger. Forest Department officials said that they would need further evidence to ascertain if the same animal was responsible. The Forest staffer escaped with injuries after managing to fight off the animal.

N. Sadiq Ali, a conservationist and Founder of the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust, said in a statement that the government and Forest Department should ensure that local residents have access to LPG cylinders so that they don’t need to venture into the forests to collect firewood. “With the increase in tiger population in the Sigur plateau, chances of negative human-animal interactions will also increase. Steps to mitigate these issues, like ensuring availability of fuel for cooking for forest dwelling communities can help mitigate these issues,” he stated.