Most people run away from even the idea of coming in contact with a wild animal, however, there are places around the world where people are not just animal tamers, they are neighbours with the wild beasts. Here are ten of these places.
1. Leopards In Mumbai
At least 35 leopards have been counted in the area surrounding the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in the middle of Mumbai. The density of the leopard population implies that they may be changing their behaviour from a solitary lifestyle to a more group-oriented way of life.
These “urban leopards” haven’t always lived in harmony with the residents. But since schemes were employed to manage any incidents of human-leopard conflict, the likelihood of being eaten by one of these creatures has reduced.
2. Polar Bears In Hudson Bay
This town in Canada is one of the few places in the world where people are outnumbered by polar bears. In any situation where there may be a risk of polar bears injuring humans, the bears are taken to a “polar bear jail.”
3. Rattlesnakes In Connecticut
In Glastonbury, Connecticut, there is a campaign to save rattlesnakes. Glastonbury residents have taken to welcoming the snakes and even create a dedicated reserve for them. Now, Glastonbury is one of the few places that can boast of living in harmony with rattlesnakes.
4. Tigers In Mohnapur
India is also home to a few urban tigers. Many of the villages where tigers decide to take up residence, such as Mohnapur, have little protection from the possible threat of a tiger attack. However, the villagers are surprisingly thankful for the animals.
This is because the chance of getting injured or killed by a tiger is still highly unlikely as tigers do not ordinarily attack humans. Also, the tigers help the villagers by killing boars which eat crops.
5. Wolves In Banff
Banff, Canada, is a town that occasionally gets visited by wolves. The national park authorities have ensured that the wolves and people can live together without issue. When wolves make a kill, the surrounding area is closed off so that the wolves can enjoy the feast free of human interruptions.
6. Lions In The Maasai Mara
Maasai warriors carry out the work of becoming Lion Guardians who protect the lions and carry out conservation tasks such as collecting DNA samples and tracking the movements of the lions.
7. Sharks In The Solomon Islands
The tribes people on Owarigi Island in the Solomon Islands encounter sharks and swim close to them without a shark cage in sight. They have developed a way of using body language to communicate to the sharks that they are not threatening or tasty to eat, so the sharks do not attack.
