According to most experts, it is becoming increasingly evident that human-wildlife conflict is on the rise. Almost every other day, ┬аshocking videos and photographs of tiger attacks proliferate all over the media. There seems to be an overall consensus over the fact that conflict between humans and wildlife is increasing rapidly. However, no one ever bothers to ask that while the numbers of tigers and leopards have come down from the lakhs to the thousands, and with current populations only a meagre 5-10% of their erstwhile numbers, why is there an elevation in human-wildlife conflict? Some answer that given the exponential rise in the population of humans, perhaps the tiger’s prey base has also reduced, hence an increase in attacks. Well, let’s see what historical┬аrecords have to tell┬аus.
Rudyard Kipling, by John Collier, ca.1891. Despite changing times and outlooks, Kipling is still synonymous with the Indian jungle as a result of the popularity of The Jungle Book, adaptations of which continue to be immortalized in film.
One of the more unique historical records of human-wildlife conflict, was found in the town of Bundi in Rajasthan, and it ┬аwas written by none other than the celebrated Victorian era British author and poet, Rudyard Kipling. Kipling was in fact, born in India.┬аHe also received the Nobel Prize for Literature at the relatively young age of 41, and is still the youngest individual to have ever won the prize. Most are familiar with his collection of fictional stories titled “The┬аJungle Book” , centered around a protagonist named Mowgli, and his interactions with different kinds of anthropomorphic wildlife in the central Indian jungle.
Kipling described his observations of the number of victims of tiger attacks recorded in a Bundi dispensary, all the while sparing the reader none of his trademark wit. He wrote that between 1887 -1889, he travelled through many parts of India, including Rajasthan, and whilst walking down a street in Bundi one afternoon, someone suddenly called out to him in “rusty” English, “Come, and see my dispensary”.
Bundi in the present. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
This came as a bit of a shock to Kipling, for at the time, the only people said to be conversant in English in the whole town were two teachers at a local school. The unprecedented third, was a local doctor who had studied 20 years previously at the Lahore Medical College, and ran a charitable dispensary. However, the good doctor’s proficiency in English was not that of a first language speaker. The doctor proceeded to describe the different kinds of patients that visited him, and how his 16 bed dispensary functioned. According to Kipling, there was a crowd of some 25 -30 people, and he approved of the dispensary. The dispensary’s patient records were also written in English, where none of the ailments were spelled correctly (“Asthama, Numonia, Skindiseas, Dabalaty”), but also contained figures under a rather curious heading, “Loin-bite”. When Kipling asked the doctor what he meant by this, the latter responded in Hindi, “Sher se mara” (Kipling was fluent in Hindi, it was believed to be his first language). Following which Kipling humorously commented, ” it was ‘lion bite’ or tiger, if you insist upon zoological accuracy”. Both tigers, and leopards could have been behind the attacks, the chances of a lion being very slim for obvious reasons.┬аAccording to Kipling, tigers used to injure approximately 3-4 people in Bundi every week.┬аToday, this figure dwarfs the current figure for the entire state of Rajasthan, and bear in mind, this was just a small town.
It appears that as a consequence of the easy availability of cameras, and smartphones, an increasing number of videos and photographs of cases of human-wildlife conflict are rapidly proliferating in the media. Where there are humans and wildlife, conflict is inevitable, ┬аto learn the art of living with it is necessary. Indians, it must be said, know this art relatively well.
Today the jungles of Bundi have become tigerless, but the government is now paying attention to the area, and seeks to prepare it for the tiger’s return.┬аWith the unprecedented success of the adjacent Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, the residents of Bundi have also become aware of the benefits of tourism revenue, and eagerly await new tigers.
References:
Rudyard Kipling. (1899).тАЬThe Comedy of Errors and the Exploitation of Boondi,тАЭ in┬аFrom Sea to Sea; Letters of Travel, vol. 1 (New York: Doubleday & McClure Company), 151.
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L)┬аhas worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
Cover photo caption & credit: Human-wildlife conflict is as old as mankind itself. A revealing cave painting from Bundi. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
Rudyard Kipling. (1899).тАЬThe Comedy of Errors and the Exploitation of Boondi,тАЭ in┬аFrom Sea to Sea; Letters of Travel, vol. 1 (New York: Doubleday & McClure Company), 151.
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Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L)┬аhas worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
In nature, it is very rare to see the hunter become the hunted. However, there is just such a tale from Jaipur, Rajasthan. A falconer once came to meet the police chief of Rajasthan, the late Mr. Shantunu Kumar (DGP – Rajasthan).┬аThe said falconer is a resident of Jaipur, and was permitted to keep birds of prey even after the introduction of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. This is because he had no suitable course of action for his captive birds following the act, and was therefore permitted by the Forest Department to keep his birds of prey.
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
A bevy of grey francolins (Ortygornis pondicerianus) (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
For many years he used to fly his birds to give them the exercise they needed, and they all came back to their master in the end. When the falconer went to meet Shantanu ji, he informed him that he had his peregrine falcon with him that day. Shantanu ji expressed a desire to see the bird, the falconer took out the peregrine falcon and promised to show him just how spectacular it was in full flight. Bear in mind, this is perhaps the only example of permission being granted to ┬аkeep a live bird of prey in post 1972 India.
A cockfighting display. Grey francolins (Ortygornis pondicerianus) were also used in this blood sport.
The late Sh. Shantanu Kumar (right), with Sh. Fateh Singh Rathore (left), former Field Director of Ranthambhore, and founder of Tiger Watch. (Photo: Hemant Singh)
Shantanu ji used to live on the outskirts of Jaipur, where many birds etc. also lived on his agricultural farm, including a bevy of grey francolin (formerly called grey partridge) who knew no fear of humans, and thus roamed wherever they pleased. After taking off, the peregrine falcon showed it’s true predatory nature, and immediately dove straight at a francolin! This happened within the flash of an eye, and everyone watched with their mouths agape.
A cockfighter’s blade attached to the spurs of fighting birds. The blade is meant to enhance the devastating impact of the spur.
A pair of river lapwing: check small spurs (spines like structures) on its shoulders.
But there was a completely unexpected outcome, the francolin’s spur (sharp growths on the hind feet) ┬аhad sunk deep into the peregrine’s heart before it could make its claim! The francolin quickly extracted itself from the peregrine’s talons and ran off, while the raptor lay dead. Spurs are seen in many birds, including chickens. Often cockfighters also tie a small knife-like blade to the spurs of roosters, and sometimes the cockfighters themselves become victims of these enhancements. Once upon a time, cockfighting was a very common and popular sport in rural India, and grey francolins were also used in this blood sport.
In the end, Shantanu ji┬аhad┬аa good laugh at the falconer’s expense, and commented that even a ‘police officer’s partridge’ overwhelms a falcon (police waalon ka teetar bhi baaz pe bhaaree padta hai).
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L)┬аhas worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L)┬аhas worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L)┬аhas worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
