Serious incidents continue as villagers take violent measures against endangered species
Mob Lynches Bengal Tiger in Assam Amidst Rising Human-Wildlife Conflict
Mob Lynches Bengal Tiger in Assam Amidst Rising Human-Wildlife Conflict
Territorial disputes between livestock and predators escalate in troubled Assam region
A Royal Bengal tiger met a tragic fate at the hands of a mob in Assam, India. Local villagers from Golaghat district killed and dismembered the tiger, claiming it had attacked livestock and threatened their safety. The forest department has stepped in, registering a case against the mob.
Instances of human-animal conflict are escalating in Assam, with this incident marking the third reported tiger killing in 2023 alone. Gunadeep Das, a senior forest official, revealed that the tiger succumbed to sharp wounds rather than gunfire, as approximately 1,000 people reportedly gathered to execute the killing.
The carcass was salvaged under magistrate supervision and is under investigation. Assam lawmaker Mrinal Saikia condemned the actions on social media, sharing a video of the tiger's body with several parts missing and emphasizing that wildlife has a right to coexist.
Another official, Sonali Ghosh, disclosed that the tiger’s origins remain uncertain, having been found around 20 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park. Despite an apparent rise in Assam's tiger population—from 70 in 2006 to 190 in 2019 due to conservation efforts—ongoing conflicts result from habitat loss and the fragmentation of tiger corridors.
India's Wildlife Protection Act (1972) protects tigers, banning poaching, hunting, and trade of tiger parts, yet incidents of human intervention remain prevalent as the delicate balance between community safety and wildlife conservation continues to wane.
Instances of human-animal conflict are escalating in Assam, with this incident marking the third reported tiger killing in 2023 alone. Gunadeep Das, a senior forest official, revealed that the tiger succumbed to sharp wounds rather than gunfire, as approximately 1,000 people reportedly gathered to execute the killing.
The carcass was salvaged under magistrate supervision and is under investigation. Assam lawmaker Mrinal Saikia condemned the actions on social media, sharing a video of the tiger's body with several parts missing and emphasizing that wildlife has a right to coexist.
Another official, Sonali Ghosh, disclosed that the tiger’s origins remain uncertain, having been found around 20 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park. Despite an apparent rise in Assam's tiger population—from 70 in 2006 to 190 in 2019 due to conservation efforts—ongoing conflicts result from habitat loss and the fragmentation of tiger corridors.
India's Wildlife Protection Act (1972) protects tigers, banning poaching, hunting, and trade of tiger parts, yet incidents of human intervention remain prevalent as the delicate balance between community safety and wildlife conservation continues to wane.
