Guwahati: In regions where humans and tigers share close quarters, identifying the specific animal behind a livestock attack has long posed a challenge. Now, a breakthrough study led by Prof. Uma Ramakrishnan at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, is changing that narrative by harnessing cutting-edge genetic tools to track predators using DNA left behind at kill sites.
Published in Biological Conservation, the study reveals that even the tiniest traces—shed hair, saliva, or scat—collected at livestock kill sites can help identify the exact tiger responsible. The research, conducted in collaboration with conservation group Panthera and the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, focused on two major tiger reserves: Kanha and Bandhavgarh.
“Understanding which animals are involved in conflict is crucial,” said Prof. Ramakrishnan. “It allows us to manage human-wildlife interactions based on evidence.”
Traditionally, forest officials relied on indirect signs like pugmarks or claw marks to identify predators. This new approach involved collecting over 770 non-invasive samples from 198 livestock kill sites. Researchers then used SNP typing, a sophisticated DNA analysis method, to identify individual tigers with remarkable accuracy.
The results were striking: researchers successfully identified individual tigers at 85% of the sites and made species-level identifications in over 95% of samples. Among the sample types, shed hair proved the most effective, followed closely by saliva and scat.
To interpret these results, the team developed a confidence-based classification system. Each case was labelled as “true predator,” “circumstantial,” or “uncertain” depending on the quality and consistency of the DNA evidence.
“DNA may be the only reliable evidence left at a kill site,” said lead author Himanshu Chhattani. “But even then, you must consider how confident you are in what the evidence says—especially when multiple tigers may visit the same site.”
This method has the potential to revolutionise conflict management in tiger landscapes. Not only does it offer greater accuracy, but it also reduces the need for intrusive interventions and mitigates the risk of wrongly targeting animals.
“As tiger populations recover, we’re seeing more conflict. Managing that needs science, not speculation,” said Sanjay Shukla, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Madhya Pradesh. “These DNA tools help ensure the right actions are taken.”
With human-wildlife interactions on the rise across India, this research provides a powerful scientific tool to foster peaceful coexistence—safeguarding both community livelihoods and India’s iconic wildlife.
Also Read: After sunset, silence: Tea garden families in Bengal face growing leopard threat
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