Bear assaults two in south Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 17: A wild bear attacked and injured two persons in south Kashmir district of Anantnag, official sources said.

They said a wild bear attacked and injured Manzoor Ahmad Malik in village Khayar Ashmuqam early this morning.

Another person Ghulam Mohammad Bhat was attacked by a bear at Hatigam, Srigufwara in the same district. However, they were immediately rescued by the villagers and taken to hospital.

The wild bears and leopards have spread havoc in the villages adjacent to the forest. The villagers further said they cannot move out of their home because of fear, particuarly in the evening and early morning.

Concern over the man-wild animal conflicts which has assumed a serious magnitude in the state, the department of wildlife in Jammu and Kashmir has approached the centre for funds to deal with the situation.

Official of the Wildlife Warden said the man-wild animal conflict was a serious issue and they have formulated a proposal for strengthening the department to deal with it.

The Proposal had been submitted to the Central Government for funding, he said and expressed the hope that the department would be able to tackle this issue after the funds were received.

Official sources said about 30 people have been killed and more than 150 wounded in attacks by leopards and bears in Jammu and Kashmir during the past two years.

During the past ten years in man-animal conflict more than 150 people have lost their lives and about 1,500 wounded in the state.

Recently authorities killed a bear at a village in border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir as the animal had spread havoc in the area while two leopards were also killed by the people since January this year in the valley.

The reason behind the increasing conflicts in the state were the shrinking habitats of wild animals, spread of human settlements, deforestation and decrease in herbivore population.

UNI