Quick Summary
- The Karnataka Forest Department is distributing masks to villagers living near Bandipur and Nagahole National Park to prevent Tiger attacks.
- The idea is inspired by Sundarbans where communities usually wear mask to avoid attacks by tigers.
Heard of a face mask saving lives? In villages near Bandipur and Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka, forest officers have adopted a unique strategy to combat the rising human-tiger conflict. The department is now distributing face masks to the villagers inspired by a similar practice by communities living in Sundarbans, West Bengal.
In the last couple of months there have been a series of tiger attacks on farmers working in the fields on the fringes of the forest. Three farmers were killed and another seriously injured which led to heightened surveillance and combing operations in the area by the forest department.
The officials captured 10 tigers including cubs but villagers have continued to report sightings and are fearful of venturing out or working in the fields.
To combat the situation in a way that also doesn’t lead to conflict, the forest department took inspiration from the method adopted by communities living in Sundarbans who share their landscape with the Royal Bengal Tiger. The method is based on the principle that tigers usually attack their prey from behind. If a mask is worn on the back of the head, it creates the illusion of a face significantly reducing the chances of an attack.
The Karnataka Forest Department plans to distribute around 10,000 masks free of cost to villagers living near the Bandipur and Nagarahole National Park.
Read More: A Tiger’s Death By Wire Snare Exposes Hidden Danger in India’s Forests
“Forest staff are visiting fringe villages, distributing masks and creating awareness on their importance for those involved in farming and cattle rearing. Announcements are also being made through autorickshaws to ensure people remain alert and wear the masks whenever they step outside,” Dy Conservator of Forests K Paramesh told The New Indian Express.
Additionally the officers are also raising awareness among the locals on the dos and don’ts in case of a tiger encounter.
The initiative began in the villages of Saragur taluk, bordering the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Officials believe that this low cost, time-tested idea could help save lives and reduce human-tiger conflict.
In October 2024 a similar campaign was run in Nagpur where around 2,000 masks were distributed to villagers living in the vicinity of Pench Tiger Reserve.
Source
All images via Star of Mysore
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