Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 10: Encr-oachment on the fringes of forest land, change in crop pattern and a dearth of experts to relocate the dangerous animals has increased the man animal conflict in State, particularly in Kashmir, over the past few years.
In a latest case, the Wildlife Department officials have been trying to seize a man-eater leopard after it mauled a six-year-old boy to death and retreated into nearby woods of south Kashmir’s Banderpora area of Pulwama district from past twenty days but apart from a couple of close shaves with the beast, nothing has happened.
“We have activated six control rooms which are open round the clock for assistance. Six cages have been set at different locations. The locals sighted it twice but before we could reach the spot, it fled. It runs with a speed of 40-50 kilometres per hour and has a parabolic range of 60 kilometers,” said Bilal Ahmad Reshi, in-charge control room of Wildlife Department in Tral area of Pulwama district.
The attack perhaps underscores the proximity of the threat posed by man animal conflict as nearly ten villages including Banderpora, Babgoum, Lajoora, Wagerwan are having sleepless nights these days. “We haven’t slept properly after the attack and after 6 pm the people remain inside their houses. We do not even feel safe in our homes. It is difficult for children to go to school. People have not visited their orchards and nor collected any firewood,” Mohammad Ayoub, a resident of Banderpora in Pulwama district, said.
As per the data available with the Social and Preventive Medicine Department of the Government Medical College (GMC), 4917 victims of animal attacks were received during year 2014-2015 and 6264 were received during year 2015-2016. While a vast majority was bitten by dogs, some 4% attacks were carried by wild animals.
Head of Department (HoD) Social and Preventive Medicine Department, GMC, Dr Shazada Mohammad Saleem said for last five years there has been a continuous increase in deaths as well as in grievous injuries due to man-animal conflict. “Animal attacks are more frequent in our State as their population is increasing with each passing day. In fact, nearly every hospital in the State receives patients who are either mauled by dogs or by a wild bear,” the HoD said.
As per the data released by the Government in year 2015, twelve people have died because 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 district leads the list by 39 persons injured followed by Anantnag where two deaths were reported while 24 persons received injuries. In 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 for quick reaction, an official said, adding that cages have been installed at vulnerable points to capture wild animals. While highlighting the rapid rise of tensions between humans and animals, Wildlife Warden Srinagar headquarters, Imtiyaz Ahmad said that the destruction of their habitats has compelled them to enter human settlements in search of food and water.
“Shrinking of space and food in the forests causes the animals to stay out of habitats. Encroachments of forest land especially on the fringes have diminished the bounders,” he said. He also said that the change in the crop pattern has also increased then conflict. “Bear, for examples, like barley and when farmers sow it before his hibernation they invite trouble,” he added.
The senior official when asked about the efficiency of the work force to deal with the conflict said: “There is a dearth of experts in the department as the government has not filled the vacant posts for years. In the year in 1991 we had 171 employees in one division and now we have 69 in the same division,” he said. He, however, feels that the climate change has changed the behavior of the animals like bear, which has also increased the attacks.
He said in 80 percent cases of wild attacks on human beings, mostly bears are involved. “Bear used to hibernate during the month of October or November but due to delay in winter and snowfall, the hibernation period starts from the month of December which is the time when barely grows,” the warden added.
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