Conflict of human–wildlife coexistence

Carter et al. (1) used data on spatial overlap of tigers and people to conclude that human–tiger coexistence is possible at fine spatial scales. The question then is whether spatial overlap suggests that human–tiger coexistence is in fact a viable strategy for their mutual well-being in the long run. Coexistence, or rather its absence between large carnivores and humans, is an oft-repeated theme in conservation biology. The results presented by Carter et al. (1) support this recognition; tigers were detected less frequently near human populations and the probability of their detection increased with distance from human settlement. Although this finding is indicative of a scenario where tigers are being pushed into areas of low human activity, the authors argue that it is a mechanism by which tigers coexist with people. We contend that the same result could just as easily be interpreted as increasing anthropogenic pressures hemming in a tiger population that is deprived of alternative habitats.