Elephants, tigers kill one human a day in India

NEW DELHI: Endangered elephants and tigers are killing one person a day in India as humans put a growing squeeze on their habitat, according to new government figures, reports AFP.

But man is in turn killing a leopard a day as the man-animal tussle for space reaches new heights.

India has lost vast swathes of forests to urbanisation in recent decades, forcing animals into human-occupied zones.

According to the environment ministry, 1,144 people were killed in attacks across India in 1,143 days between April 2014 and May this year.

And there is no sign of the toll being cut.

The ministry said 345 tigers and 84 elephants were killed in the same period, mostly in poacher attacks. Elephants are targeted for their tusks.

Siddhanta Das, the ministry's director general of forests, said human encroachment into animal territory was causing the deaths.

"We are running awareness campaigns to minimise the casualties," Das told AFP.

Elephants accounted for 1,052 human deaths and tigers 92, according to the figures released to parliament last week.

 

Elephants, tigers kill one human a day in India

NEW DELHI: Endangered elephants and tigers are killing one person a day in India as humans put a growing squeeze on their habitat, according to new government figures, reports AFP. But man is in turn killing a leopard a day as the man-animal tussle for space reaches new heights. India has lost vast swathes of forests to urbanisation in recent decades, forcing animals into human-occupied zones. According to the environment ministry, 1,144 people were killed in attacks across India in 1,143 days between April 2014 and May this year. And there is no sign of the toll being cut. The ministry said 345 tigers and 84 elephants were killed in the same period, mostly in poacher attacks. Elephants are targeted for their tusks. Siddhanta Das, the ministrys director general of forests, said human encroachment into animal territory was causing the deaths. We are running awareness campaigns to minimise the casualties, Das told AFP. Elephants accounted for 1,052 human deaths and tigers 92, according to the figures released to parliament last week.