FINALLY, the government has taken cognisance of the sudden end to the man-animal conflict in the problem areas of Chandrapur district. The acting Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) SK Sood has been asked to "immediately" explain the disappearance of tigers from forests around the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). The Indian Express had first reported on May 16 how the man-animal conflict, which had claimed 11 lives in 2006, 14 in 2007 and 26 in 2008, had suddenly come to a virtual end with only one death being reported in the conflict-affected area in the past five months, that too as early as on January 21. The report had also highlighted continued elimination of tigers from these areas as the only plausible explanation for the end to conflict. The conflict, which was first reported in May 2006 by The Indian Express with every single death due to tiger attack being monitored since, has become the biggest cause for concern for the wildlife wing of the department over the past two years. Last year, a special Corridor Development Plan was initiated in this area, stretching from Nagbhid to Mul, north of TATR and contiguous with it. Reports of disappearance of tigers from these areas have been coming in at regular intervals, but the officials have been maintaining that they have evidence of tigers in these areas. They, however, have no explanation on how the conflict has come to an end. Over the past 10 months or so, instances of deaths of four tiger cubs and orphaning of five others have been reported from three different spots. Their mothers haven't been seen since then. In one case at Adhayl-mendha in Nagbhid area, there was also a male tiger that has since been missing. At Fulzari territorial forest in south of TATR along Chandrapur-Mul road, a tigress and three cubs were noticed till a few months ago. The family hasn't been seen over the past two months. Another tiger was found dead outside TATR last week. In total, seven adult tigers and four cubs have died besides five cubs orphaned. This clearly has been the severest tiger elimination period outside TATR in the past many years. Yet, no heads have rolled in the department and officials have been merrily claiming "large" evidence of tiger presence in these areas. The department has now sought "immediate" explanation on reports that the disappearance of tigers could be the reason behind the end of the man-animal conflict.