COVID-19 lockdown and distressed reverse migration enhance human-tiger conflict in Sundarban: An eco-psychiatric observation

Arabinda N Chowdhury; Suchismita Roy; Arabinda Brahma

doi:10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_997_21

COVID-19 lockdown and distressed reverse migration enhance human-tiger conflict in Sundarban: An eco-psychiatric observation

Indian J Psychiatry. 2022 Jul-Aug;64(4):418-422. doi: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_997_21. Epub 2022 Jul 13.

Authors

Arabinda N Chowdhury¹, Suchismita Roy², Arabinda Brahma³

Affiliations

¹ Consultant Psychiatrist, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, UK.
² Visiting Faculty, Indian Institute of Technology, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
³ G.S. Clinic, Indian Psychoanalytical Society, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

PMID: 36060716
PMCID: PMC9435617
DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_997_21

Abstract

COVID-19 lockdown enforced distressed reverse migration in Sundarban, which caused an unprecedented population addition to the already devastated fragile Sundarban ecosystem. Acute poverty and food crisis prompted many migrants to explore forest-based living, thus enhancing fatal human-tiger conflicts. Families of deceased migrants face significant mental health trauma and catastrophic psychosocial consequences.

Keywords: Human–tiger conflicts; Sundarban; mental health; reverse migration.