Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Amid talk of animal-human conflict, Korku research scholars from Maharashtra, revealed how tigers and tribal people co-exist in forests. “We often hear that the tiger and the community are fighting, which is not true,” one of the research scholars Ramlal Kali who belongs to Korku tribe said, adding that “We have been living with tigers for generations.”
According to Ramlal, who was in the city on Thursday to attend a media workshop, told Free Press that if five tigers in their area die they consider it a calamity and bad omen, sent by Gods and hold special pujas to make their deities happy.
Tiger is considered as Kulamama (brother of mother) or Baghdev and it never attacks tribal people who share forest with them. “Tigers in our area never attack humans. If they are doing so, it means that tigers are from other areas, fetched by the forest department.”
Lalita Bethe, another research scholar said tigers visiting their agriculture field are considered auspicious by the Korkus and the family of that farm is considered lucky. If they find tiger aw printed on a heap of cow dung, they dry it and keep it in a ‘Anaj ki Kutiya’ at their home,” she said
The workshop “From Conflict to Coexistence: Media’s Role in Shaping Public Perception on Human-Wildlife Interactions”, organised by Dasra’s Climate Narrative Hub, highlighted the media’s power in bridging gaps between conservation and public awareness.
Some guidelines for responsible media coverage on human-wildlife interactions including consult experts & verify facts, avoid sensationalism, use scientific terminology, highlight solutions, and incorporate multiple perspectives were discussed.
