Bandipora, May 05: Wild boars have been wreaking havoc on farmers in the Hajin area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, damaging crops and destroying apple orchards.
As per the details, the wild boars have been spotted in orchards of several areas of the Hajin, including Parray Mohalla, Bun Mohalla, and Gandbal, uprooting and damaging crops and destroying apple trees, causing heavy losses for farmers who rely on this for their livelihoods.
Arshid Ahmad, a farmer told Rising Kashmir that the wild boars are destroying their apple trees by damaging the bark and they have tried to scare them away, but they keep coming back.
He said that they tried to protect their crops and orchards by installing temporary fencing and using scare tactics to deter the animals. However, the wild boars have been persistent, finding ways to get through the fencing and continuing to cause damage.
Arshid said they have been known to damage the bark of apple trees, which can lead to the death of the trees. At least 500 apple trees have been damaged in the region so far, causing significant losses for local farmers.
Another farmer Rameez Ahmad said that wild boars destroyed their paddy crop as soon as they had sown it. Despite trying to catch them, we were unable to do so as they ran very fast”, he said.
He said that they have been forced to resort to several tactics to try and protect their crops and orchards. However, these measures have been largely ineffective, and the wild boars continue to cause significant damage.
According to local farmers, the wild boars have become a major problem in the area. They were first spotted in the region three years ago, but this year their numbers have increased, with more than a hundred now roaming the fields and orchards.
Block Officer Wildlife Control room Bandipora, Fida Hussain told Rising Kashmir that they have visited areas where damage has been done by the wild boars. “Since their number is high, we are unable to control them however teams have been deputed to ensure no further damage is done”, he added.
“As of now we have resort to several tactics including bursting firecracker to protect the orchards and fields from further damage”, he said.
