Man-Eating Tiger in India Claims 10th Victim
Heads up if you're planning on traveling to northern India soon: A single tiger has reportedly killed at least 10 people in the region over the past seven weeks.
According to the Associated Press, the tiger's killing streak began on December 29, when the female cat mauled a 65-year-old man to death in the Sambhal district of the Uttar Pradesh state in northern India.
Since then, the tiger, believed to have escaped from Corbett National Park, has killed at least nine other people in an area spanning more than 80 miles. Tens of thousands of villagers in the region have been warned to exercise caution when nearing forests.
On Sunday, the cat claimed her latest victim, a 50-year-old man who was collecting firewood near his home. Most of the man's legs and stomach had been eaten by the time neighbors scared the cat away.
"The animal has started attacking humans because it is not getting its natural prey," said Rupek De, chief wildlife warden of Uttar Pradesh. "The tigress must be tired because it is not getting adequate rest."
Wildlife officials almost trapped the beast this weekend but fell short. "On Saturday night the tigress almost fell in trap and was close to the calf," Saket Badola, deputy director of Corbett National Park, said. "But she did not attack the bait and left silently."
Angry and frightened villagers have demanded more protection, going so far as to take over a national forestry office.
"We can understand the predicament of the villagers," Badola said. "The villagers do not have toilets in their homes. They go out in the open or forest areas to answer nature's call. In this scenario it is difficult to give protection to each and every villager. We have advised them to move in groups."
[Image via AP]