New Delhi: Chittaranjan Sarkar, a resident of the Sundarbans, the mangrove forests of West Bengal, went fishing in the Chilmari Khal adjoining Kjila compartment jungle at 8:30 am, but never returned. Nobody knew what happened to him, with villagers still waiting for clarifications and updates.
As tiger attacks have become prevalent in the Sundarbans, these stories are being heard of frequently from the secluded regions of the islands. Several locals have returned home to these islands because of the pandemic, but they are unable to find work and therefore must return to their family occupation to survive. However, the rise in the number of returnees and the yearly cyclone have resulted in some changes in the habitat and behaviour of the maneaters. Although known for their beauty and aggression, many tigers have changed their pattern of attacks. Today, these tigers are not afraid of nylon nets and are inquisitive about exploring human habitats. These behavioural changes such as attacking the same prey more than twice or thrice are resulting from the saline water that enters the area due to yearly cyclones.
“Tigers usually pounce on or attack the victim from be hind, biting the fleshy parts of the body. They frequently attack and carry the body away to their zones, but they do not immediately eat the body. We’ve seen tigers attack one person at a time in many cases, but I’ve heard of one instance where the tiger killed two persons at the same time,” Umashankar Mondal, a resident of the Sundarbans, told The Sunday Guardian.
“Previously, tigers were fearful of nylon nets but most observers have noted that they are no longer afraid of nets. Another behavioural change we discovered is that tigers used to attack their prey only once, but now they attack more than three times unless the victim becomes their meal.”
Many researchers have claimed that such drastic and aggressive change in behaviour is due to climate change. The water temperature fluctuates as a result of climate change, and saline water enters the freshwater region as a result of cyclones such as Bulbul, Yaas, and Amphan. It has been observed that the tigers are particularly sensitive to saline water, which add more aggression to their behaviour.
“Tigers seek freshwater, yet cyclones have caused saline water to enter freshwater areas. The natural ecosystem of the Sundarbans, including the core regions, is also affected due to erosion,” Prof Sumita Mukhopadhyay, Bethune college, Kolkata, who is working for the “tiger widows” told this newspaper.
She pointed out an interesting observation-most tiger widows do not see tigers as their enemy, instead of blaming humans for the attacks. “Migration has increased as a result of the pandemic, and many individuals are searching for employment. Unfortunately, the majority of people have been unable to find work and have returned to their hometowns. Fishing is the principal occupation in Sundarban, and because edible crabs and a variety of fish may be obtained in freshwater, fishermen frequently approach the core zones of the tiger reserve. So, why would the man-eaters let their prey go once they enter the core zones?” She also talked about the psychological impact on the tiger widows, and she noticed a small shift in their behaviour. “Because most of the wives are dependent on their husbands, one can often hear stories of domestic violence. When their husbands go fishing, women mentally prepare for the possibility of their husbands not returning. I’ve noticed that after the death of their husbands, these young widows become financially and socially independent. They are typically pragmatic in their approach to life and do not regard tigers as rivals.”
During the mating season, most male tigers leave their natural habitat and infiltrate human territory, preying on cattle, goats, fowl, and other livestock. As per the official website of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, the tiger population has risen. There are 30 males and 52 female tigers, according to data from the 2020-21 Phase IV Tiger Estimation and there are 14 sex-unidentified tigers. There have also been reports that tigers are currently following a patch of mangrove plantations along with the islands. Mangrove plantation programmes have been revived in several locations, including Kutali, Kumirmari, Satjelia, Gosaba, and others. Coincidentally, the majority of the attacks have also been reported in the Gosaba and Kumirmari regions. The maneaters of Sundarbans feed on deer, monkeys, wild boars, and fish, and are known for their excellent swimming, quick climbing, and acute hearing. Their yellow and black body stripes blend very well with the mangrove thickets.