Wild Animal Attacks: Wildlife Deptt issues advisory, appeals people to not let children, elderly move out alone

Srinagar, Sept 24: In wake of the recent animal attacks, officials at Jammu and Kashmir’s Wildlife Protection Department have issued an advisory urging inhabitants living close to forests or pasture land areas not to let their children or elderly people to move out alone.
The advisory, issued by Wildlife Warden North Division Sopore,
reads that children and women are more vulnerable to leopard and bear attacks, which can be contained if they move in groups or children are accompanied by an elderly person and always move on regular forest paths and avoid shortcuts.
“Avoid going to forests for collection of wood etc. in early morning or evening hours, which is the peak activity time for Leopards. Do not chase or try to go near a wild animal if sighted from a distance in the forest areas”, reads the advisory.
Giving details about the steps taken by the Wildlife Department, Rashid Yahya Naqash, the Regional Wildlife Warden for Kashmir, told Rising Kashmir that the department has stepped up its awareness campaign. “Through our awareness campaign we are urging people living close to pastures or forests to accompany their children and elderly family members, especially in the morning and evening hours.
“In areas where there have been recent animal attacks in north Kashmir, we have deployed around 50 officials, besides, in the entire valley, 22 control rooms have been established who will remain functional 24X7.
Whenever we receive an SOS call about the presence of a wild animal in any area, we will try to restrain the animal and then follow the rehabilitation procedure,” he said.
The warden also stated that rather than trapping or caging wild animals in forest areas, it is preferable for people to take preventive measures, for which they are holding awareness campaigns at various levels.
“We are going to intensify the ongoing door-to-door campaigns and are also making awareness through local mosques and panchayats, sensitizing people about the animal attacks and measures to prevent themselves from being attacked by wild animals,” Naqash said.
The official further added that they have been issuing advisories in general, especially for the inhabitants living near forest or pasture land areas.
“Besides, we have also been advising people to keep their house backyards free of bushes and to make adequate lighting arrangements around the houses,” Naqash said.
While the authorities have set up emergency control rooms, the human-animal conflict in north Kashmir’s Uri has consumed the lives of five minors since June this year.
Earlier on September 11, this month, Police in Srinagar advised residents to take precautions and stay indoors after a wild bear and its cub were seen roaming in the city and also attacked and injured a school guard in the Lal Mandi area of Srinagar.
After a 21 hours long operation the black bear and its cub that strayed into Srinagar’s uptown localities were captured by wildlife men, saying that they will be released in the Dachigam national park.