Tigers Roam Free, Villagers Fearful in Uttarakhand

The balance between humans and wildlife near Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park is reaching a breaking point as tigers increasingly enter villages due to shrinking forests. This escalating crisis has left residents in buffer zones facing constant fear and loss of livestock. To address the issue, researchers from Nagaland University have proposed a comprehensive strategy centered on ecotourism, community involvement, and advanced geospatial technology.

The study indicates that ecological degradation, climate change, and human expansion are the primary drivers of these intensified encounters. By analyzing three decades of data from 1991 to 2025, specifically around the eastern transitional buffer zone near Ramnagar, the research utilized Geographic Information System (GIS) modules to track land use, habitat loss, and population density. This analysis allowed researchers to categorize specific areas into risk zones ranging from low to very high.