SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 7: The Wildlife Protection Department on Saturday captured four Asiatic black bears after they strayed into human habitations in south Kashmir, including a massive 500-kg male bear tranquillised in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district.
The male bear was captured at Bachoo Sagam in Kokernag, while three others were trapped in cages installed at Ashmaqum by the Seer Wildlife Control Room.
Officials said all four bears were captured alive by the Wildlife South Division Bijbehara during a day-long operation.
The animals will be kept under observation for some time before being released into their natural habitat, officials said.
The captures come amid increasing sightings of wild animals, particularly black bears and leopards, in residential areas and villages across Kashmir, triggering concern among residents.
Wildlife officials attribute the increasing human-wildlife encounters to factors including shrinking forest buffers, expansion of orchards and changes in land use, which bring animals closer to human settlements in search of food.
Black bears have been spotted in several parts of the Valley, including Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, Bandipora and Kupwara.
Leopards, too, have increasingly been reported near residential colonies, orchards and institutional areas. Recent rescue and relocation operations have been conducted in Budgam, Baramulla, Ganderbal and Kulgam.
The Wildlife Protection Department has deployed rapid-response teams and control rooms to deal with such incidents.
Authorities have advised residents to secure garbage, livestock and poultry, exercise caution during early winter and harvesting hours, and immediately report wildlife sightings to the nearest control room.
