Human-wildlife conflict on the rise in Kashmir valley

In forested areas of Kashmir valley, animals not only target humans in search of food but also prey on other animals. There have been reports of wild animals moving towards human settlements, indicating that the incidence of human-wildlife conflict is increasing day by day.

Srinagar: In recent years, many people, including small children, have lost their lives in different parts of Kashmir after being attacked by animals like tigers and bears. In forested areas, animals not only target humans in search of food but also prey on other animals. Over the past few weeks, there have been reports of wild animals moving towards human settlements, indicating that the incidence of human-wildlife conflict is increasing day by day.

In addition to bears, leopards are now terrorizing human settlements. Recently, a four-year-old girl was killed by a leopard in Ompura, Budgam district. Later, a child was rescued from the clutches of a leopard in Tangmarg. Similar incidents have taken place in different parts of the valley before. Attacks on humans by wild animals have not only killed many precious human lives so far but also seriously injured many others.

In Budgam, Khario and Pampore, about 16 leopards have been spotted in or around human settlements in the last few days, of which six leopards have been caught by the wildlife department so far. Efforts have been intensified to catch the other ten. It has been found that unnecessary human intervention in forest areas forces animals to be displaced from their habitats. On the other hand, tadpoles growing up near human settlements have become accustomed to easy hunting.

Experts say that breeding grounds in nurseries are not part of the natural environment, so they need to be controlled. In the last several years, 118 human lives have been lost and nearly 2,000 injured in the escalating "clashes" between humans and animals in the Kashmir Valley.