Machur Residents Panic After a Tiger Makes a Come Back Their Vicinity
Villagers wanted extension of trenches around the forest borders among other precautionary measures
BENGALURU: A fortnight back, Ramesh, running a tea stall at Hosur, a village on the periphery of the D.B. Kuppe range of Nagarhole National Park, sighted a tiger in close proximity from his shop and dared to burst crackers to drive the big cat away.
The villages surrounding Machur went through a quiet period from tiger/tigers straying to their neighbourhood but now, a tiger on the prowl in villages of Hosur, Machur and other surrounding villages on the borders of D.B. Kuppe in Heggadadevanakote (H.D) taluk of Mysuru again led to panic among the residents particularly after 3 persons were mauled by staying tigers on the periphery of Sargur taluk also in H.D. Kote falls under Bandipur Tiger Reserve a couple of months back.
Sharing borders with Kerala, D.B. Kuppe range of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, spread across Mysuru and Kodagu districts.
A couple of years back, a tiger/tigers mauled a couple of persons while villagers say “There was no clue of a person who was killed by a tiger” and suspected “The tiger might have dragged the person deep inside the forest to feast on him.”
Ramu, a resident of Hosur told Deccan Chronicle on Wednesday “a couple of tigers often stray to the villages creating fear of a tiger attack on humans.” The tea shop owned by Ramesh is about 10-meters away from the border of D.B. Kuppe and a road divides Machur village and the tiger reserve.
River Kapila flows about 500 meters from Machur and wild animals such as tigers/leopards, elephants among others have to cross villages Hosur, Machur and others to quench their thirst and often lead to man-animal conflicts. A resident Ramu said “We fear the tiger most. Residents can drive elephants and deal with leopards but not a tiger.”
Often report cattle kills by tigers/leopards on the D.B. Kuppe periphery villages and Ramu said a few days back, a tiger strayed to Hosur and killed a cattle. Earlier, tigers have mauled a couple of persons on the periphery of D.B. Kuppe and Ramu feared that a tiger on the prowl again led villagers to panic.
Director of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve Seema said “We are aware of tiger movement to Machur and surrounding villages. The tiger strays and returns back to the forest. We alert officials concerned and personnel.” Range Forest Officer Madhu assured to put personnel on their toes.
Meanwhile, villagers wanted extension of trenches around the forest borders among other precautionary measures.
