The recent bear attacks in Jammu and Kashmir have highlighted a growing concern over man-animal conflicts in the region. In the Anantnag district, a farmer named Ghulam Nabi Muglu was attacked by a bear while working in his field, leading to serious injuries that required hospitalization. This incident, coupled with the death of a woman and another critical injury from bear attacks in different parts of Kashmir, has understandably caused widespread panic.
The rise in such conflicts is attributed to the expansion of human settlements into forested areas. As forests are encroached upon, wildlife is pushed into closer contact with people, increasing the likelihood of these dangerous encounters. Ecologists suggest that to address these issues, it’s crucial to preserve natural habitats and minimize human interference in wildlife areas.
In response, the Wildlife Department is actively working to manage these conflicts by using tranquilizer guns to capture and relocate bears and leopards that stray into human areas. However, a more sustainable solution involves respecting and protecting wildlife habitats to reduce the frequency of such encounters.
