Reduce human - large carnivore conflict and facilitate CO-existence of people and wildlife in the buffer forest of tadoba andhari tiger reserve

The Tiger Research And Conservation Trust was awarded a $220,524 project grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 9 Headquarters under the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund program (CFDA 15.619). The grant will support efforts to reduce human-large carnivore conflict and facilitate coexistence of people and wildlife in the buffer forest of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in India from April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2025. Key deliverables include education programs for 92 villages in the reserve to promote sensitization and awareness of wildlife issues, establishing primary response teams in those villages to serve as first responders in human-tiger conflict mitigation, protection of wildlife and their habitat, and community participation programs in high conflict villages to support better understanding and planning for mitigation efforts. The project aims to enhance protection of tigers through local leadership and community involvement in conflict resolution.

Project objectives include, (1) education for sensitized and aware communities of 92 villages; (2) local leadership for mitigation, which includes creating primary response teams in 92 villages, who will be the first responders in human-tiger conflict mitigation; (3) protection of wildlife and habitat; (4) community participation in mitigation in high conflict villages; and (5) understanding tolerance for better mitigation planning.