‘Conflict related incidents in occupied valley a threat to wild life’

SRINAGAR (SANA): In a tragic development, the increasing man-animal conflicts have become a cause of grave concern as the wildlife officials say that people and troops are disturbing the natural habitat of wild animals.

In a new development, the Wildlife Warden of the occupied territory Mushtaq Ahmad Parsa attributed the increase in man-animal conflicts to the establishment of civilian and military settlements in the interiors of the forestland over the past few years.

“The encroachment of the forestland by the people and troops has completely disturbed the wildlife habitat due to which the wild animals descend to human habitations in search of food,” Parsa said.

He said the troops, besides disturbing the wildlife habitat by chopping off the trees in the forests, attract leopards towards human colonies by rearing dogs near the wildlife-protected areas. “Leopards always hunt for soft food like dogs and children. The troopers who have established camps in the forests always take sniffer dogs along during patrolling in forests,” he said.

Parsa pointed out that the leopards relished the sight of the dogs and when they were attacked by the troops to save dogs, they descended to human habitations. “Once the leopards devour humans they only become hungrier and turn into man-eaters,” he added.

The wildlife warden, of central Kashmir range, Rashid Naqash termed the encroachment of buffers and their conversion into agriculture and horticulture land as the reason for increase in man-animal conflicts.

He said, “Most of the man-animal conflicts take place in these orchards during the horticulture season”, adding that after the fruit season was over the wild animals in their hunt for food rush towards the habitations posing threat to human lives.