Wild animals keep Pathankot villagers on edge

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Dhar (Patahnkot), Dec 7

Harsh winter approaching in the upper reaches of HP and J&K and shrinking forest cover have resulted in wild animals straying into residential localities in the Dhar block of Pathankot district.

Rajesh Mahajan, Pathankot Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), claimed the state was addressing the issue. He advised villagers to stay calm.

Man-animal conflict occurs when growing number of human beings encroach upon wildlife territory, reducing resources for wild animals. This results in man and animal coming in close proximity and entering into a conflict.

More and more wild animals are straying into villages of Dhar block. While poachers are on the lookout to hunt the animals, villagers are making arrangements to save their livestock and fields.

Wildlife experts, including Mahajan, claim though wild boars and jackals move up till the outskirts of Pathankot city, leopards restrict their activities till Dunera.

“However, when the temperature touches zero degree Celsius in Dalhousie and Khajjiar, leopards sometimes take shelter in parts of forests located a few miles out of the city,” they said.

Last year, a leopard got stuck in a wire meshing laid down by the Army. It was later rescued by wildlife officials and sent to Dehradun.

A villager claimed he and his fellow residents spend sleepless nights during the winter as the beasts spoil their standing maize and wheat crops. Experts opine that the shrinking forest cover due to increasing urbanisation is the main reason behind these animals visiting populated areas.

“Apart from helping villagers, our department has issued an advisory, asking villagers to be alert. We are also keeping a close vigil on poachers,” said an official of the Wildlife Department.

Experts say illegal felling of trees during the last three decades has depleted a major part of the green cover, giving rise to the conflict. Another major aspect of the issue is the ever increasing incidence of cattle grazing in jungles. The phenomenon has resulted in the loss of natural pastures, depriving wild herbivores of precious fodder.