Chitwan, Feb. 27 -- How does a tiger react when it sees an 'eye' or 'X' painted on the hindquarters of cows and buffalos? A team of conservationists in Chitwan's Madi area have been studying how tigers respond to domestic animals marked with such symbols.

Madi, nestled between the Chitwan National Park (CNP) and Someshwar forest, has seen loss of lives and property every year due to frequent human-animal conflict. Local farmers are the hardest hit as the tigers enter settlement and kill livestock or prey on grazing animals. The study is inspired by findings from Africa, where lions generally do not attack domestic animals painted with an 'eye' or 'X'.

Som Bahadur Sarki, a resident of Krishnanagar Bihanitol in ward 9 of Madi Municipality...