Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, is gaining recognition for a unique phenomenon: the presence of tigers within its urban and semi-urban areas. This unusual situation has led to a fascinating, albeit sometimes precarious, human-wildlife coexistence. While this proximity presents challenges, it also offers a remarkable opportunity to study and promote urban wildlife conservation.

The Urban Tiger Project

The Bhopal Urban Tiger Project is a pioneering scientific research initiative aimed at understanding how tigers survive in the urban and semi-urban landscapes surrounding Bhopal. This project seeks to provide valuable information to local stakeholders and government decision-makers regarding the presence of a healthy ecosystem with tigers as apex predators. The study encompasses various zones based on their distance from the city center to understand vegetation, wild prey, livestock, and human presence to analyze how tigers and humans use these spaces. Researchers also collect tiger scat to analyze genomic information, determine their relatedness to other tiger populations, and understand their diet.

Tiger Territory

Recent estimates suggest that around 25 tigers frequently move in and out of the Ratapani forest, often venturing to the outskirts of Bhopal. Currently, about five tigers are actively roaming the forest edges near the city. Six tigers have established territories within the Bhopal Municipal Corporation limits, while others, including cubs, roam the 5km buffer area. This has led to Bhopal being known as the only city in the world where tigers can be seen and heard roaring freely without significant conflict. The Kerwa-Kaliasot area has been identified as a tiger movement area for decades.

Challenges and Concerns

Despite the seeming harmony, the presence of tigers in close proximity to human settlements raises concerns. Increased human activity in the forest areas is disturbing the natural habitat of these animals. The depletion of forest cover forces them to venture closer to human settlements in search of food and water. There have been reports of panic among residents due to tiger sightings, especially in areas like Kaliyasot and Chandanpura.

One of the major challenges in managing urban tigers is dealing with multiple stakeholders, including businessmen, politicians, and bureaucrats who own properties in the tiger habitat. The expansion of urban landscapes into prime tiger habitat, such as the Kerwa-Kaliasot area, further complicates the situation.

Conservation Efforts and Coexistence

The forest department is taking measures to address the challenges. These include creating awareness among locals about safety precautions, tracking and relocating tigers to suitable forested areas, and restricting the movement of heavy vehicles in tiger movement areas at night. Patrolling is being conducted in the areas, and cameras are installed at various places.

The Urban Tiger Conservation Project focuses on coexistence and policy support in these peri-urban spaces. Researchers interview people living in and around Bhopal to understand their perceptions and views about living with tigers. People's knowledge, beliefs, and fear-coping strategies are crucial for building an understanding of tiger-human coexistence.

Madhya Pradesh is known as a region where tigers and humans live together in a spirit of coexistence. Creating spaces for both humans and tigers and regulating human activity in wildlife-sensitive areas is essential for maintaining this balance. Protecting and improving tiger habitat and its wildlife is a continuous effort.

International Tiger Day

On International Tiger Day, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh inaugurated wildlife translocation, rescue, and dog squad vehicles. He also rewarded forest protection committees, eco-development committees, village forest committees, and forest personnel for their excellent work in wildlife conservation.

The situation in Bhopal highlights the growing urban-wild interface and the need for close monitoring to prevent conflict and ensure human safety and wildlife conservation. While challenges remain, the "live and let live" approach in Bhopal offers a unique case study for promoting coexistence and conservation in an increasingly urbanized world.