Tangmarg: While wildlife department tranquilized and captured a black bear from forest area of tourist destination Gulmarg on Friday, panic continued to grip residential areas of Tangmarg including Check Ferozpora, Teran and adjoining villages of Tangmarg as wild animals continue to roam these residential areas resulting into frequent human-animal conflicts.
Residents of the areas allege that despite series of man-animal conflicts, not a single bear or leopard was captured from residential areas, however, wild life officials say that four cages are placed in the residential areas of Tangmarg following public complaints of wild animals and bears roaming in the villages.
“From last couple of months, several people got injured in wild animal attacks. Recently an elderly man Mohammad Sharif Khan son of Noor Mohammad Khan of Check Ferozpora Tangmarg was attacked by wild bear and he was critically injured. The wild bears destroy fruits and vegetable crop in the residential areas,” said a delegation of people from Tangmarg.
“Like Gulmarg where black bear was captured immediately as it was roaming around hotels, we want similar kind of swift action by wildlife department in residential areas where human lives are at risk,” said another local Nazir Ahmed of Tangmarg.
When contacted Wildlife Warden for north Kashmir, Mohammad Sadiq told Kashmir Images that department of wildlife is putting all possible efforts to put check on man-animal conflicts. He said man-animal conflict in Kashmir has witnessed increase during the past few years because of human interference in the woods and shortage of food in forests.
“We have captured a black bear and sedated it before deporting it in a special van to Baramulla. The bear would be set free in wildlife sanctuary Limber Uri ,” informed Wildlife Warden.
He further said, “Through your newspaper I want to assure people about all possible help from the department. People of Tangmarg should contact our Range Officer Wildlife Gulmarg on his number 9419601628 whenever there is any man-animal conflict.”
When contacted Range Officer Wildlife Gulmarg Nazir Feroz admitted the rise of man-animal conflicts, however, he said that four cages have been placed in different villages to capture the wild animals including bears and people should feel free to contact us whenever is there is any man-wild animal conflict.
