Fisherman’s mortal combat with Bengal Tiger

According to a BBC report of July 4, West Bengal crab fisherman fisherman Fatik Halder has survived a tiger attack in the Sunderbans mangrove forest. The forest straddles India and Bangladesh and is home to the largest concentration of tigers in the world.

The wrestling match between man and beast lasted nearly 20 minutes, during which the tiger bit and clawed Halder repeatedly. As Mr Halder fought the tiger he remembered that his father, Gour, had been killed in a similar attack 20 years ago.

"Around 10 o'clock in the morning, when I jumped into the water in Benifeli forest and threw in the [fishing] net, I suddenly felt a searing pain," he told the BBC.

The tiger bit his shoulder and tried to wrestle him to the river bed with its paws, but the water and mud made it difficult for it to keep its footing and it finally gave up. Perhaps the water repeatedly got into the tiger's nostrils and made it choke.

Bleeding and traumatised, the injured fisherman then had to survive another ordeal - the 10-hour journey to Calcutta for medical treatment.

The Sunderbans reserve has several hundred tigers whose natural prey has been diminishing owing to the activities of wood cutters, honey gatherers and fishermen. Man's growing intrusions into the tiger's domain has forced many to turn to human prey.

Fatik's fishing days are probably over and he plans to look for some other job that will not force him to cross paths with the king of the jungle.