Why is it in the News?

The recent death of a Kadar tribesman in Tamil Nadu’s Anamalai Tiger Reserve in an elephant attack has left the indigenous community and conservationists in shock as Kadars are known to co-exist with wild elephants for ages.

About Kadar Tribes:

• The Kadar tribes are a small indigenous tribal community residing in South India, primarily along the hilly border between Cochin in Kerala and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
• Traditionally, they are forest dwellers who rely on forest resources for their livelihood, opting not to practice agriculture.
  • Their shelters are typically thatched with leaves, and they frequently shift locations based on their employment needs.
• Rather than subsisting solely on gathered food, they prefer rice obtained through trade or wages.
• With a long history of specialization, the Kadars are known for collecting various forest products like honey, wax, sago, cardamom, ginger, and umbrella sticks, which they trade with merchants from the plains.
• They maintain a symbiotic relationship with nature, emphasizing the coexistence of Kadar and Kaadu (forest), and have established traditional protocols for the sustainable use of forest resources.
• Every resource collection practice, such as honey extraction, firewood gathering, resin tapping, or herb picking, is conducted with regeneration time in mind.
• The population of the Kadars was estimated to be around 2,000 individuals in the early 21st century, and they primarily speak Dravidian languages like Tamil and Kannada.
• Their religious beliefs include worshipping jungle spirits, a kindly creator couple, and local forms of Hindu deities.
• While recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Kerala, they do not hold the same status in Tamil Nadu.

About Anamalai Tiger Reserve:

• Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a protected area located in the Anamalai Hills of Pollachi and Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu, India.
• Annamalai Tiger Reserve was originally called Anamalai Wild Life Sanctuary notified in the year 1974 and established in the year 1976.
  • Later, it was renamed as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park in honour of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's visit in 1961.
• According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the sanctuary was declared as Anamalai Tiger Reserve in 2007.
• The sanctuary presently includes a core area of 958.59 sq. km and a buffer area of 521.28 sq. km forming a total area of 1479.87 sq. km.
• It is located at an altitude of 1400 m in the Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats.