Man animal conflict in Kashmir on rise ‘

Srinagar: A bear that strayed into Morcha Chaii village of Reasi District earlier this month underscores the enormity and proximity of the threat posed by man-animal conflicts. The bear mauled a 14-year-old boy and while it eventually retreated into the nearby woods, the incident is a wake-up call. In another incident a 12-year-old boy was severely injured by a leopard in the forests of Mujhpatri area of Khansahab. The boy had gone into the jungle to bring back the livestock. The kid was severely mauled and one of his eyes was totally damaged in the attack. Another women was injured after a bear attacked her in an apple orchard. 

The man-animal conflict in the state has claimed 21 human lives and 234 persons were injured in attacks by wild animals during 2015-16. As per the data available with the Social and Preventive Medicine Department of the GMC (Government Medical College), 4917 patients were received during 2014-2015 and 6264 were received during 2015-2016. While a vast majority was bitten by dogs, some 4% attacks were carried by wild animals.

“Every hospital in the state receives at least 2 patients in a week who are either mauled by dogs or by a wild bear,” As per Dr. Shahzada Mohammad Saleem, HOD Social and Preventive Medicine GMC said. “From last five years there has been continuous increase in deaths as well as fatal injuries due to human –animal conflict, though dogs attack more and are more lethal than any other animal.”

As per the data released by the government in the year 2015, 12 people have died as a result of attacks by wild animals in Kashmir. Some 234 persons were injured in the same year. Similarly, six persons lost their lives in attacks by wild animals in Jammu while 47 were injured in such attacks.

Baramulla leads the list by 39 persons injured followed by Anantnag where two deaths were reported while 24 persons received injuries. 

In the Jammu region, Ramban district leads the graph with 16 injured and two deaths followed by Kishtwar where 14 persons were injured.

Authorities have put in place 24 control rooms in the Kashmir region and 21 in the Jammu region. Cages have been installed at vulnerable points to capture wild animals.

In 2011, the state government had proposed to involve villagers to curb the man-animal conflict and create awareness among the people, but it was rejected by the Centre, saying it was not a success in other states.

The reason for the rapid rise of tension between humans and animals is the paucity of living space. According to the World Conservation Union (World Park Congress 2003), conflict occurs when wildlife’s requirements overlap with those of human population. The destruction of their habitat has compelled them to enter human settlements in search of food and water.

“Such incidents wouldn’t stop until we preserve the habitat of wild animals,” Intisar Suhail, Wildlife Warden said. “People have encroached upon forestland and as a result, animals thinking they are in their own territory bump into human settlements resulting in their deaths.”

“The bottom line is, we have destroyed their natural habitat and we’ll have to pay for this,” Suhail said.

“Human population is increasing rapidly and as a result forest cover has declined drastically. People in Kashmir have also changed their agriculture fields into apple orchards, which attract black bear.

In 80 percent cases of wild attacks on human beings mostly bears are involved. The danger of the conflict can be substantially reduced if humans do not do things that incite animals to attack.  Creating awareness among the local people will help in peaceful co-existence between humans and wildlife. Education and training activities at different levels like in schools and colleges will help to avoid conflicts,” he added.

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