Leopards in human settlements keep trackers busy in Kashmir

Kashmir is seeing an increase in human-animal conflict. The latest one is from the Wanbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar. A leopard first sighted on Feb. 23 continues to evade capture to this date. A team of forest department officials is stationed in the area. Report ETV Bharat's Zulqarnain Zulfi and Sajad Bhat .

Srinagar:Cases of wild animals roaming in human settlements have witnessed a steady increase in Kashmir in the recent past keeping the J&K Wildlife Department officials on tenterhooks. Bear and leopard sightings mark the bulk of these human-animal conflicts. Earlier such cases were limited to human settlements bordering mountains and jungles, but now they are being reported from heavily populated areas including those in Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir.

A wild animal roaming outside a human dwelling terrifies people who usually put up videos on social media of these beings roaming around in the dark. As soon as the Wildlife Department is informed, its officials ensure the animal is found and rescued without any harm to either party. These rescue operations sometimes go on for days.

On February 23, a leopard was spotted in Srinagar's Wanbal neighbourhood after which terrified locals notified the Wildlife Department. Inputs received from the area said it was not an isolated big cat but a leap of leopards roaming in the area that is barely 7 km from the city centre Lal Chowk.

The Wildlife Department immediately began its rescue operation but the leopard was not trapped. The operation continues in this area ever since. There is still dread in the locality even though this leopard has not injured any human so far. In addition to taking action to save the leopard, wildlife officials are also raising awareness among the locals.

Altaf Hussain, Wildlife Warden in the Central Division, said: "We deployed our team in response to a rescue request we received from this area (Wanbal). Initially, it had to be determined whether or not the leopard was indeed present. We got the confirmation when an image was captured by one of our cameras. After that, our team is now stationed here permanently."

"Every operation is built on the circumstances in a certain location. We have permanently stationed our personnel here because of the dense vegetation and the fear that the locals are experiencing. We've taken action (cameras, cages, etc. have been installed). There have also been some fresh, unconventional actions adopted. Leopards are not just cunning but also quick, making them difficult to capture," Hussain explained.

He also discussed past operations of similar nature. "In 2021, it took us one month to capture a leopard in Budgam. Sometimes you can catch the animal right away but it is not always the case. Speaking of the location, the forests here are extremely dense, giving the leopard adequate room to hide. Recently, a leopard was rescued in Lasjan in less than 30 minutes, and in Arizal, Badgam, it was saved in an hour. It depends on your luck," he said.

He continued, "Wild animals can easily enter this region if you consider its geography. The struggle between wild animals and people in this area will continue even if we manage to rescue the leopard this time. Animals can travel here from nearby corridors and forests. As a result, residents must always exercise caution. Here, advisories have been issued, and they must be strictly complied with."

In reference to locals' assistance, he said: "We have never received the kind of support we are receiving here from any other location. A resident welcomed us inside his recently built home by opening the door. If not, our 25-person team would have to sleep in tents. They have my sincere gratitude. Even the impossible is feasible if we receive this kind of support everywhere."

For the past few nights, ETV Bharat team too was stationed in the region with the wildlife officials and continued to record every development with its cameras. According to Hussain, "I frequently ask my staff whether they are tired, but they are always so focused that I never receive a yes. Hours of freezing weather are endured by two of our boys near the trap cage in order to save the leopard as soon as possible. Also, they are always willing to assist the general public. I am proud of my squad because of this."

Mukhtar Ahmed Kumar, a wildlife personnel who has spent the last 20 years rehabilitating wild animals, stated: "The locals have been helpful. Our crew is divided into four-person groups. Every team has a leader and is equipped with weapons, including tranquilizers. The placement of cages and other items is then determined by a map. The monitoring is done by the remaining team members."

He continued, "In addition to this, we raise awareness and lessen people's fear. We merely want to avoid endangering human life. We always ask the public to refrain from bothering us after the wild animal is captured. We must transport it to a secure location when it is unconscious. So please cooperate with us."

Ghulam Mohiuddin Kohli, a wildlife personnel with 16 years of experience in animal rescue, stated: "Since Almighty is with me, I have no fear of wild animals. I don't stop until the animal is rescued. The heart of Kohli is sturdy." Interestingly, Kohli's teammates also refer to him as "sharpshooter Virat Kohli", a reference to the Indian cricketer.