A 25-year-old mother was forced to defend her toddler from the tiger after it escaped from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in India over the weekend. No less, with her bare hands. Because a mother attempting to protect her child will react with protective instincts that no tiger can match.
A tiger attacked Archana Choudhary and her 15-month-old son on Sunday night while they were standing in front of their home in the Madyha Pradesh region of central India. The Times of India said that Choudhary intervened to prevent the tiger from biting her child’s head after it had wandered from the adjacent reserve. She screamed for rescue and used her bare hands to pull her child’s head out of the tiger’s mouth. According to the article, the child battled off the tiger even as it withdrew and tried to snatch her. The tiger eventually fled into the bushes as a villager heard her screams and rushed to save her.
After being transported to a local hospital, Choudhary and her infant received medical attention for their wounds. While Choudhary sustained major abdominal wounds and pierced lungs, the young child sustained deep gashes in his head. “She was given a hospital admission. She is no longer in danger and is healing. According to CBS News, local official Sanjeev Shrivastava informed AFP that the baby is also doing well. Authorities have told the villagers to stay inside while they try to find the tiger and bring it back to the reserve.
According to the BBC, tiger attacks in villages near the reserve are not uncommon, especially since rapid urbanization has resulted in the destruction of natural habitats. As a result, more wildlife, such as tigers and elephants, have entered villages near forests in search of food and shelter. And, sadly, more human attacks.
According to The Times of India, a man was murdered by a tiger in front of witnesses, including his own wife, in a village in West Bengal near the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve last month.
Archana Choudhary’s bravery in battling a tiger to defend her son is inspiring. Fortunately, both the mother and son escaped with their lives.