From hunters to protectors: Govt training locals in Karnataka on wildlife

From being hunters once upon a time, the tribals have now become protectors of the wildlife. The jungles in the region are home to a series of wildlife and birds - from elephants to black panthers

During the final years of British rule, people were awarded for killing tigers in the forest surrounding the Kali river. In other parts of the country, the practice of killing tigers stopped, but not here. It was a badge of honour one would flaunt for the rest of his life,” says Rahul Bavaji, an advocate, who works with the forest department for protection of wildlife in the Dandeli, Haliyal and Joida regions of the Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka.

The ancestors of the 15-20 Siddis who stay inside the Kali Tiger Reserve have. So did the Gavlis and Kunbis. Their ancestors