Forest department links surge in tiger attacks to growing cattle population in Munnar
Even as the Forest department claims the cattle population in the area has grown significantly, repeated tiger attacks on livestock are causing concern in Munnar’s
Even as the Forest department claims the cattle population in the area has grown significantly, repeated tiger attacks on livestock are causing concern in Munnar’s tea plantation sector. According to plantation workers, tiger attacks on cows have drastically increased over the past several months, with at least one or two incidents reported daily in Munnar’s plantation areas. Additionally, a tiger attack on cattle was recently reported in nearby Chinnakkanal. Forest department officials confirmed the rising frequency of tiger attacks on livestock in Munnar’s plantation sector. A senior official noted that the booming cattle population in the area is drawing tigers out of their natural habitats. Tiger population up “Normally, the plantation companies allow workers to raise two cows and a calf per family, and a cattle keeper is appointed to care for them.
However, now individual family members are raising two cows each, leading to a surge in the cattle population. This excess livestock is allowed to graze and camp within the tea plantations,” the official source said. “Since the Munnar tea plantations are surrounded by Shola forests, tigers venture out of the woods and camp in the plantations due to the easy availability of prey. Furthermore, the overall tiger population in Munnar has also increased.” The official further noted that the abundance of easy prey has led to big cats living socially within the tea plantations, citing a recent incident where three tigers of a family were spotted feasting on a cow. “We cannot resolve this issue without restricting the number of cattle in the plantations.
Another important point is that the tigers attacking the cattle are young and healthy; they simply haven’t learned to hunt other wildlife because cattle are so easy to catch. For instance, the tiger captured in Munnar in April and shifted to the Periyar Tiger Reserve was a healthy big cat, and it is now roaming the tea plantations in Vandiperiyar,” the source added. Enforcing livestock limit Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Saju Varghese stated that they will direct plantation companies in Munnar to strictly enforce the livestock limits for workers. Officials also noted that the tiger attack in Chinnakkanal appears to be an isolated incident, involving a big cat that likely migrated from Bodimettu or Mathikettan rather than Munnar.
Meanwhile, sources from the Kanan Devan Hills Plantation Company (KDHP) maintained that the company only permits permanent worker families to rear two cows and a calf. They added that a cattle keeper and sheds have already been provided, and the company strictly monitors livestock numbers. However, Vijayakumar, president of the Lakshmi Milk Producers Society, disputed the Forest department’s claims. He stated that the cattle population in Munnar’s plantation sector has actually decreased, which is reflected in falling milk production. “Two years ago, daily milk production in the society stood at 5,600 litters. Last May, that number dropped to 4,000 litters,” Mr Vijayakumar said.
The BriefWire