Nuapada: With the death of another cow reported Saturday from Chulabhat village under the Nuapada Sadar forest range, the tiger on the prowl reportedly has claimed the life of an elderly woman and as many as 19 cattle within a span of one month. A fearful atmosphere has gripped the area, with the local residents fearing to venture out of homes after sunset. The latest victim of a tiger attack was Gobardhan Majhi’s cow, which had gone to the forest for grazing and did not return in the evening.
Later, the family members searched for the cow nearby and failed to find it. Some Mahua flower collectors spotted its carcass near a stream in the same village. On being informed, Nuapada forest range officials later arrived at the spot and buried the dead cow after conducting a post-mortem. Reports said, forest officials, do not enter into Sunabeda wildlife sanctuary which spreads across Komana, Boden and Nuapada blocks as Maoists are mostly active in the region throughout the year. On the other hand, rampant deforestation by the timber mafia is forcing tigers and leopards to enter human settlements triggering man-animal conflicts. The tiger has been on the prowl in the area for the past few weeks. It is attacking cattle and occasionally venturing into human settlements.
Despite the Forest Department’s efforts to capture it, the big cat has managed to evade all attempts so far. The incident has once again brought to the forefront the issue of human-wildlife conflict and the need for effective measures to mitigate such incidents. As the search for the tiger continues, the villagers in the affected areas remain in fear and uncertainty, hoping for a swift resolution to the crisis.