Drones, ground patrols search for two young bears in Srinagar

Drones, CCTV surveillance and round-the-clock ground patrols—Srinagar’s wildlife authorities are deploying every available resource as they continue their search for two juvenile black bears that have wandered into residential areas, triggering panic among residents.

Officials said one of the bears was first spotted in Saidpora and later seen moving through Batpora, Dargah Hazratbal, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Nigeen, the University of Kashmir, Kanitaar, Bat Bagh and Soura near the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), before moving out of the area.

Tawheed Ahmad Deva, Regional Wildlife Warden, Kashmir, told The Tribune that the operation is still underway and that the animals appear to be two juvenile bears that may have entered the city from the nearby Dara forests.

“This situation can be looked at both positively and negatively,” Deva said. “On the positive side, our efforts toward wildlife protection have resulted in an increase in population. On the other hand, human disturbance in their natural habitat has forced these animals to venture into residential areas.”

He said the operation is being conducted with the goal of safely guiding the bears back to the forest. “We want to ensure the safety of both the animals and the local population,” he added.

Wildlife officials said the bears’ movement has been captured at several locations. A video that went viral on social media showed one of the bears swimming in Nigeen Lake near Sadrabal.

At SKIMS Soura, CCTV footage late at night detected suspicious movement, prompting an immediate strengthening of security. “We alerted our teams and closed down the gates to prevent any incident after it appeared the movement was that of a bear,” a SKIMS official said.

Authorities have reviewed all CCTV footage along the bears’ possible routes to establish movement patterns and plan precise responses. “Cages have been installed at critical points, including Nigeen and SKIMS, as precautionary safety measures,” wildlife officials said.

They added that awareness and sensitisation campaigns were carried out across NIT Nigeen, Kashmir University, SKIMS Soura, Kanitaar, Batpora, Dargah Hazratbal and nearby localities, urging residents to stay alert and avoid provoking the animals.

Drones have also been deployed to scan dense and inaccessible terrain. “Ground teams are positioned strategically at NIT, Kanitaar and SKIMS, working round the clock. Continuous night monitoring is being carried out since the bears are mostly nocturnal,” the officials said. “Field teams are actively guiding the animals back toward the forest habitat in a safe, controlled and professional manner.”

No injuries have been reported so far, either to locals or to the animals, and authorities say the situation remains fully under control with constant monitoring.