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In addition, around 18 spots are witnessing the illegal slaughter of domestic animals in the absence of licensed slaughterhouses, while a dozen places have been identified as dumps for animal remains. Leopards have also preyed on roosters at poultry farms in Mustafabad, Methi Saidulla Ganj, Mewatpur and Mataina, located within 500 metres of the core forest’s periphery. Highly adaptable species like leopards are increasingly reported encroaching into villages, schools and offices, turning what were once accidental encounters into frequent and highly dangerous confrontations. ” For communities living along forest boundaries, such encounters bring economic losses and mental trauma. Divisional forest officer, forest & wildlife division, several incidents of big cats attacking cattle have been reported at shelters in Purva Bhura, Khaikhera and Deohana Patti villages in recent months, according to Bharat Kumar. Stay updated with the latest Bareilly news.
Six cow shelters and four poultry farms are operating in the immediate vicinity of the tiger reserve, according to official records. “Over time, this reliance on low-effort meals causes their natural hunting proficiency to atrophy, trapping them in a cycle of dependency on anthropogenic food sources,” said PP Singh, field director of PTR and chief conservator of forests, Bareilly zone. “Stray or domestic cattle grazing near protected zones can transmit contagious pathogens such as bovine tuberculosis, foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease to wild herbivores, which can subsequently infect predator populations,” said Daksh Gangwar, veterinary officer, PTR. When tigers and leopards scavenge on remains contaminated by these dogs, they risk contracting diseases that can prove fatal to entire big cat populations,” Daksh said. “This could disrupt the predator-prey balance and contribute to an increase in wild ungulate populations, placing greater grazing pressure on forest ecosystems and accelerating habitat degradation,” said Manish Singh, DFO, PTR.
Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Pilibhit: The growing concentration of cattle shelters, poultry farms and animal-remains dumps around Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) is altering big-cat behaviour, intensifying human-wildlife conflict and raising the risk of disease transmission to tigers and leopards. Wildlife experts and forest officials warn that easy access to domestic livestock is drawing predators out of protected habitats, making them increasingly dependent on human settlements for food and more prone to dangerous encounters. The cattle shelters near the forest were set up under a state govt rehabilitation scheme to provide safe shelter to stray cows, calves and bulls. Experts warned that the shift could make apex predators increasingly sedentary and physically compromised, resulting in abnormal weight gain and reduced agility. He added, “The behavioural degradation extends beyond individual animals to future generations. Cubs raised by mothers accustomed to preying on domestic cattle fail to learn the vital, high-stakes hunting techniques required to survive on wild prey, cementing a multi-generational cycle of dependency. As these predators lose their evolutionary edge, they also shed their natural fear of humans. Fear and frustration can fuel retaliatory sentiment against tigers and leopards, escalating into lethal conflict and posing a major threat to big-cat conservation. Slow or inadequate compensation for livestock losses or human deaths can further deepen tensions between local communities and conservation authorities. The proximity of domestic livestock to forest boundaries also poses serious disease risks. Animal-remains dumps pose another threat. “Stray dogs frequenting these waste sites often carry highly contagious pathogens, most notably canine distemper virus. As tigers become increasingly dependent on domestic cattle, they may move away from their natural role as primary predators of wild herbivores. He added, “We have decided to take up this issue with the state govt as well as the district administration to seek the shifting of domestic cattle and poultry establishments to remote locations, apart from curbing the dumping of animal remains near protected forests. Download the TOI App.
