Restoring the co-existence between bears and humans

It was otherwise a usual October day at work, but for the frantic plea: “Shoot it.” The call was received from the Shahdhar panchayat that abuts the famous Bhimakali temple in Sarahan. The cattle attacks had reached more than a dozen and the otherwise calm folks of the temperate mountains were losing their patience. Three humans, too, had been reportedly attacked! “Ye adamkhor hai. Isse shoot kijiye.” Humans and bears seemed to be vying for each other’s doom.

The concern, pain and fright of the caller were all too relatable, but the call of duty was different. As Wildlife Warden of the Rampur Forest Division, one’s mandate was clear — to protect the species given the highest protection under the law of the land. For their own safety, the bears had to be prevented from attacking humans! One more attack and the calls for their elimination could become impossible to resist.

The Asiatic black bear or reechh, or more endearingly bhaalu, is not only omnivorous but even omnipresent. They have shared the landscape and existed alongside humans, every now and then delighting themselves on apples and other fruits. The elders at Shahdhar narrated that they had known bears to exist in their proximity for as many as 40 years, but never had such a spree of attacks on cattle happened.

For now, the balance of co-existence had tipped. Smart camera trap imaging by the Rapid Rescue Team of the Rampur Forest Division threw a likely explanation. It was a mother bear nursing two sub-adults. And it was October. Put together, the answer was clear: a mother was feeding and storing fat before the family’s hibernation in winter. And it had just found an easy source — the cattle tied inside cowsheds having flimsy wooden doors that could be just pushed open any night when they felt hungry. Field investigations also brought to light that the three human attacks were either a result of surprise encounters, or when petrified cattle owners had tried to drive the bear(s) away and thrown stones in their direction. But never had the bears come after humans, in the way humans seemed to be now going after them.

Even while the situation in Shahdhar was being managed, calls arose from other places — from Bahali to Kamalahu of attacks on cattle by the bears. Field investigations in Kamalahu revealed that the attacks had largely happened on cattle-sheds built on the fringes of a thick Ban forest, begging the question — who had entered whose territory, after all?

The story of conflict management that unfolded in Shahdhar showed the grit, skill and commitment to duty of the frontline forest field staff. These unsung heroes did their routine duties in the day and then patrolled the conflict hotspot — an area of around 10 sq km — at night. Armed with mashaals and shock sticks, they kept up the vigil to keep humans and bears safe from each other. When even after repeated guidance, some of the increasingly government-reliant citizens of Shahdhar would forget to burn red chilli in the cow dung outside their cattle sheds (a traditional way to keep bears away and found to be successful), these sentinels of the night would themselves carry out that ritual outside their cattle sheds. Where the danger was higher, an ANIDER (Animal Intrusion Detection and Repellent System) or two was deployed — a first in Rampur.

Going from door to door, and messaging daily on WhatsApp groups, they ensured everyone was informed and no one surprised the bears with chance encounters. Diwali came early and ended late for the citizens of Shahdhar as the field staff kept bursting crackers through the night.

In a first for Himachal Pradesh in recent history, the field staff, guided remotely by experts from the Wildlife Institute of India, Zoological Survey of India and Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department, made the first capture of a free roaming bear. It was one of the sub-adults. The team stayed up all night to ensure it was safe, also protecting themselves from its separated, ferocious mother — arguably one of the most dangerous animals in such a situation. And when the sub-adult would not be allowed to be released by the people back in their vicinity (and understandably so), they still ensured its best chance at survival — walking the tightrope between what is right and what is expected!

A beautiful tale of self-reliance came to the fore from Kamalahu. The residents took it upon themselves to undertake night vigils, and no further incidents were reported!

In Shahdhar, three bear captures (and releases) have been carried out, alleviating people’s fears and bringing safety to the bears. Meanwhile, as winter set in, it was time for the bear family to finally hibernate. The time gained shall hopefully be utilised to strengthen the cattle sheds.

Months of effort seems to have tilted the balance back in favour of co-existence. But every wildlife manager knows that the balance is extremely precarious.

— The writer is Deputy Conservator of Forests-cum-Wildlife Warden, RampurBushahr. Views expressed are personal