The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — A Wildlife official was injured after being attacked by a bear in Parigam area of southern Kashmir's Kulgam district on Sunday.

An official quoted by the local news agency Kashmir Scroll said that a Wildlife official namely Bashir Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat and a resident of Devsar area, was attacked by a bear in Parigam area.

He said that Bhat received injuries and was shifted to a local hospital in injured condition.

GANDERBAL — A leopard attack left five people injured, including two women and three Wildlife Department officials, on Wednesday in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

An official said that the incident occurred during a search operation initiated after locals spotted the leopard in the area.

Fortunately, the authorities managed to capture the leopard alive after a strenuous effort, the official said, adding that the injured have been transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

SRINAGAR — A bear attack in Bandipora district resulted in the death of at least eighteen sheep and left twenty-five others injured during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, according to officials.

Officials disclosed that the bear attack occurred at Check Arsalan Khan village, inflicting fatalities and injuries among the livestock on the intervening night.

The authorities have confirmed the incident and stated that a team from the Wildlife Department promptly arrived at the site to assess the extent of the losses incurred due to the bear attack.

"A Wildlife Department team responded to the situation and has evaluated the damage caused by the attack," the officials added.

Authorities are working diligently to address the repercussions of the bear attack and offer necessary assistance to affected livestock owners.

SRINAGAR — The wild boars, which are not natives to Kashmir and culturally and religiously unacceptable to people, have resurfaced much to the surprise of Wildlife experts.

CCTV footage shows the presence of scores of wild boars at Dachigam National Park in Srinagar outskirts.

Ironically, these wild boars threw a big challenge for the employees at Tulip Garden this year when these entered into the garden, forcing the people guarding the garden to go for fencing and keep strict vigil round the clock.

One of the employees, while confirming the presence of wild boars around Tulip and Botonical gardens of Srinagar, said that in coming years, it will be a big challenge to deal with these pigs as their population has been increasing despite the weather conditions that don’t suit these animals.

A sounder of boars can be seen wandering in Dachigam Park and its adjoining farming fields.

Pigs are not native to Kashmir but were introduced by Dogra rulers for game hunting. Due to hostile weather, the population of pigs in Kashmir started diminishing and by the 1980s, wild boars virtually disappeared from Kashmir.

“It was 2013 when we spotted three pigs in Dachigam while doing research on Hangul. And today, their population has increased manifold which is surprising,” HoD Wildlife SKUAST, Dr Khurshid told the news agency KNT.

He said in the Uri area of north Kashmir, wild boars are found as their presence is in other parts of Kashmir forests due to the semi-tropical climate.

In the past, wild pigs have been sighted in many areas of north Kashmir, including Uri, Lachipora, Limber, Rafiabad, Rajwar and Balpur.

Wildlife researcher, Auqib Rasheed said that the reason for its revival may be multi-factor. “Climate change can be one of the factors. We have been witnessing warm temperatures for the past few years,” he said, adding that the presence of these pigs is very dangerous for Kashmiri Hangul.

“Pig and Hangul will compete for habitat and food and it will prove disastrous for Hangul. Pigs create havoc in fields and damage crops,” he said.

Wildlife experts believe that if the population of wild boars is not curbed, they will prove newer and more difficult challenges to native animals, orchardists, and farmers. These animals have the potential to change the whole ecosystem.

GANDERBAL — The Department of Wildlife Protection J&K has warned of strict action as per law involving imprisonment as well as a fine against anyone involved in capturing owls or any kind of hunting activity. The notice in this regard came following the reports of several incidents of alleged capturing of owls from some parts of the valley over the past month.

After a few photographs of the owl species, especially the Barn Owl and Tawny Owl, being captured surfaced on social media, the Wildlife department issued a notice warning that capturing, coursing, snaring, trapping, driving or baiting of any wild animal, including wild birds, comes under the definition of “hunting” which is a punishable wildlife offence under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

“A person committing such an offence shall on conviction be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to 20,000 rupees or both,” the department warned.

Anyone coming across a wild bird which has been accidentally injured or seems to be in distress should not attempt to handle or rescue the bird on his/her own but immediately contact the Wildlife department on the phone number 9796171787 or through email rwlwkashmir@gmail.com, according to the notice.

Why do people catch owls?

Dr Bilal Nasir Zargar, a wildlife biologist, while talking to the news agency KNO, said, “There is a myth in Kashmir that keeping an owl's nails wards off evil. People catch them and cut their nails off and they eventually die, due to which the population of owls has declined drastically.”

Owls play a very important role in controlling the rodent population. They are phenomenal in pest control and help maintain the food chain. Owls also get rid of diseased rodents and stop the spread of zoonotic diseases.

Dr Bilal said the warning by the Wildlife Protection Department is not enough because there are some species of owls out there that are threatened at this point in time and they may not be able to survive for much longer due to hunting or their habitat being destroyed. “As a result of this, they are struggling to be able to survive out there in the wild. It isn’t too late though to help these owl species to have a future. However, in order for that to happen, we need to acknowledge what the problems really are, then we can be a part of the solution and not the problem,” he said.

What can be done to save them?

The wildlife botanist said that critical conservation of habitat with prior research and social awareness by educating the public about an owl’s role in the environment can save them. “Building social awareness against superstition will help implement stringent legal action against poaching and trading. There is no place for them to nest and breed due to rapid urbanisation. Their habitat must be protected, and their nesting places saved. We need to study them to learn such details,” he suggests.

Dr Bilal Nasir, who holds a Doctorate degree in Botany, was the first to record a long-eared owl in 2019 at Manasbal. He has been observing the behaviour of owls for the last five years and is one of the most famous and passionate nature photographers in Kashmir. “I enjoy taking photos of birds and animals in jungles and forests. I have travelled extensively to many national and international sanctuaries,” he told KNO.

Dr Bilal has educated and inspired thousands of people towards the conservation of nature and has received many awards.

Another expert, while talking to KNO, said it is a myth that owls can rotate their heads 360 degrees. “They can actually turn their necks 135 degrees in either direction which gives them 270 degrees of the total movement,” he said, adding, “Not all species of owls are nocturnal. Many times you might just spot an owl in the day peeping out from its home on the tree. When there is a shortage of food, owls may hunt at any time during the day. They are carnivorous and eat rodents, small and medium-sized mammals, insects, fish, and other birds. Sometimes, they even eat smaller owls.”

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife Department, Ifshana said owls are a kind of scheduled species and capturing these birds breaches the Wildlife Protection Act. “The recent reports suggest that only two owl-capturing incidents took place following which an advisory was issued for their protection,” she told KNO, adding, “Capturing owls is a severe crime. Anybody involved in it will be held under the relevant sections of law and a case will also be filed against such a person.”