Non-profit group Wildlife Protection Society of India, however, has a slightly different dataset: They’ve documented 206 tiger deaths, of which 56 cases related to poaching and seizures in 2023. The data differs due to distinct methodologies and scopes of data collection. NTCA, being a governmental authority, officially records and verifies tiger deaths across India, often involving field investigations and post-mortem analyses by state forest departments or other state bodies. WPSI, a non-governmental organisation, compiles data on tiger deaths from various sources, including media reports, and may also include suspected cases of poaching or other forms of unnatural deaths not officially recorded by the NTCA. Thus, WPSI's data might sometimes show higher numbers due to the inclusion of unverified or additional reports.

Last year marked a peak in tiger mortalities since 2014, when 78 tigers died as per NTCA data. According to the Union environment ministry, the tiger population has escalated from 2,226 in 2014 to 3,682 in 2022.

“The sharp rise in tiger deaths in 2023, serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need to harmonise the conservation efforts with the simultaneous growth in the tiger population. While the surge in tiger numbers is a testament to conservation success, it also underscores the imperative for strategic protection measures," said a senior official from the Union environment ministry.

According to the National Wildlife Database Centre of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India has a network of 1,014 protected areas including 106 national parks, 573 wildlife sanctuaries, 115 conservation reserves and 220 community reserves, all of which cover just over 5% of the country’s geographical area.

Conflict zone

In the quiet lanes of Gurugram's Narsinghpur village, the unexpected intrusion of a leopard into a household vividly illustrated the thinning boundaries between wildlife and human habitats in India. The leopard, captured on CCTV, made its way through the stairs into the house, leading to an intense rescue operation by the forest department and local police last week. The big cat was later tranquilised and safely relocated, but not before causing injury to a village youth and stirring widespread concern.

A few weeks ago, a tiger resting atop a wall in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit, close to the tiger reserve, drew a massive gawking crowd, highlighting once again, the challenges of managing wildlife in proximity to human settlements. The forest officials' rescue of the tiger, which had ventured into a local's house and climbed a wall, was a delicate operation balancing public safety, owing to the massive crowd pressure, and the welfare of the animal.

Meanwhile, a DNA analysis of a tigress tranquilised and captured in the Jangliagaon area on December 25, confirmed its involvement in the deaths of three women in Bhimtal, Uttarakhand last month itself. In Kerala, particularly in the Wayanad district, a tiger attack resulted in the death of a 36-year-old man in Vakeri. Following this incident, the Kerala government issued an order to kill the tiger, which had been identified as WWL 45, included in the census of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The tiger remained elusive despite efforts to capture or tranquillise it.

These incidents in Gurugram, Pilibhit, Bhimtal and Wayanad are stark reminders of the escalating human-wildlife conflicts across the country. They also underline the pressing need for effective wildlife management strategies that not only ensure the safety of local communities but also the protection and welfare of wildlife.

Data shared by the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change in Parliament in December cast a spotlight on the escalating human-wildlife conflict in India, particularly involving tigers and elephants. This data encompasses both the rising number of human fatalities due to animal attacks and the increasing mortality rates among these animals. In tiger attacks, a concerning trend emerged with Maharashtra experiencing a dramatic surge from two cases in 2018 to 85 in 2022. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also reported a significant increase of five cases to 11 and zero to nine, respectively in the same period.

To be sure, natural causes were the leading reason for deaths most years. Unnatural tiger deaths refer to suspicious fatalities. This could include roadkill or train accidents, attacks by other species, as well as instances where tigers were shot by the forest department or villagers, and by poaching.

Odisha reported a notable number of poaching cases in 2022-23. In the south division of the Similipal Tiger Reserve, the number of wildlife crimes surged to 119 in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. There were at least 103 undetected cases in 2021-22 and 100 in 2022-23. Additionally, the forest department estimated that around 20 tigers were poached in 2022-23, but this number could be higher considering some cases might have gone undetected or unreported.

“Conflict between humans and wildlife, which has negative consequences for both, is one of the most serious challenges to India's wildlife and a threat to many people's livelihoods,” said Hrishita Negi, a PhD candidate from Clemson University, South Carolina, USA.

How technology might save tiger lives

Wildlife habitats overlap with human settlements and agricultural lands. Buffer zones play a crucial role in easing these tensions by mitigating human-induced stress near habitats, requiring careful monitoring and community stewardship. However, these areas, rather than serving as effective barriers, have increasingly become hotspots for heightened human-tiger interactions, leading to numerous conflicts over the years.

“Strengthening safeguards in buffer areas surrounding protected zones is paramount. The delicate balance lies not only in fostering tiger populations but also in fortifying the peripheries where they coexist with human activities,” the Union ministry official quoted above said.

The conflict primarily stems from habitat degradation, depletion of the natural prey base, and human encroachment into wildlife territories for grazing, fuel-wood collection, and other activities. Additionally, the success of wildlife protection has led to an increase in wild animal populations. “Changing agricultural practices, along with the presence of stray dogs and cattle near forest fringes, further exacerbate these tensions,” the official said.

Dr SP Yadav, additional director general (Project Tiger), ministry of environment and member secretary, NTCA said the government's focus was to create a "win-win" scenario in the face of rising human-animal conflicts across the country. “This entails employing a diverse set of technologies to address these conflicts effectively. This approach includes enhancing the capacity of ground staff and communities for timely communication, redressal, and rescue operations thereby ensuring a diverse set of stakeholders come together to address the issue,” he said.

"By integrating advanced technological interventions like early warning systems, GPS, and drones with traditional conservation methods, we are striving for a balanced approach to wildlife management,” he added.

The integration of technology, particularly algorithms generated using artificial intelligence, which analyses vast data sets to predict animal movement patterns, has enabled preemptive measures that show the most promise in preventing conflict. AI-driven monitoring systems can alert authorities and communities about the proximity of wildlife, allowing for timely and appropriate responses to potential encounters.

In Part 2, we will explore how an innovative artificial intelligence algorithm is emerging as a potential game-changer in wildlife management, drawing close attention from authorities for pilot projects to effectively manage human-animal conflicts.