Tigers killing livestock and occasionally humans face retaliatory killing that is a leading cause of tiger mortality, requiring coexistence programs that protect both species.
Tigers killed in retaliatory attacks often die slowly from poisons, trap injuries, or poorly aimed shots causing prolonged suffering. Young dispersing males are most vulnerable as they are forced through human-dominated landscapes seeking territories. Tigers living near villages experience chronic stress from human proximity, dogs, and nighttime agricultural activity. Coexistence programs that combine rapid response teams, livestock protection enclosures, and compensation payments remove economic incentives for retaliation while protecting tigers' welfare.