Karnataka: Straying Tigers Settle Along Nalas Having Lush Vegetation To Spike Man-Animal Conflicts On Bandipur Borders
“Even tamed elephants’ expert in tiger capture operation cannot access the canals owing to lush vegetation and hamper the capture operations”: Officer (Nugu range)
BENGALURU: Officials of Kabini reservoir and Gram Panchayats falling on the periphery of Hediyala sub-division attached to Bandipur National Park, a tiger reserve, seems to have taken grant it for granted to clear lush vegetation along canals (nalas)/streams which has proven to be advantage for straying tigers/leopards to take refuge and pounce on an opportunity to maul humans/livestock in periphery villages including an attack on a villager by a straying tiger on Saturday. The Bandipur Tiger Reserve is spread across Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts.
The clearance of lush vegetation along nalas (canals)/streams and roadside was also suggested by field experts after man-animal encounters escalated in the later part of 2025 and acting on their suggestion, Nugu forest officials were quick to dash of letters to Gram Panchayats of Mulluru, Hediyala, Hadanoor and Kallamballu in November, 2025 are yet to respond to the pleas of forest officials to get the nalas/streams clear off any vegetation to hinder smooth tiger/leopard capture operations and resulted in spike in man-animal encounters.
Another letter to the Assistant Executive Engineer of Kabini Nala having its sub-division office at Hullahalli asking for steps to clear vegetation but nothing substantial happened so far.
In a fresh case of a straying tiger attack, a villager Kiran working at a farm on Saturday came under attack from a tiger and was injured in his back and neck region while a villager Rajashekarappa, 65, was mauled by a tiger the previous year under Nugu range while frequent tiger sightings create a sense of fear of among villagers to venture out even during day to work in fields.
Nugu range officials told Deccan Chronicle on Sunday tigers/leopards stray out of the park and settle along the nalas/streams taking advantage of the lush vegetation besides the nalas/streams are cool enough for tigers/leopards to rest and stray to neighbouring villages and fields in search of prey especially wild boars which roam in huge numbers raiding crops.
“Even tamed elephants’ expert in tiger capture operation cannot access the canals owing to lush vegetation and hamper the capture operations,” stated an officer attached to .
A Panchayat Development Officer cited “lack of funds” to clear lush vegetation along nalas/streams while Kabini reservoir officials have orally communicated to Bandipur officials that they are busy in works in other areas under their jurisdiction.
