Militancy a blessing in disguise for wild animals 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, July 15
Militancy may have taken a heavy toll of human lives in Jammu and Kashmir, but it has proved to be a boon for wild animals in border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
In fact, after militancy erupted, wildlife experts inform there has been an increase in the population of endangered wild animals, including the Himalayan black bear, musk deer, leopard and markhore (wild goat). However, they say, the exact increase cannot be ascertained since no census on any of the animals has been done by the Wildlife Department.
Regional wildlife warden, Jammu province, Naseer Ahmed Kitchloo says there are two factors, which have prompted them to predict an increase in the population of endangered wild animals. "There has been an increase in the number of man-animal conflict cases. The frequency of the sighting of endangered wild animals has also increased", informs Kitchloo.
He says there are many reasons for the increase in the population of the endangered wild animals. "The presence of security forces in the forests is acting as a deterrent to poachers to go on with their activities. Besides, the Forest Department has also been able to check hunting", he informs.
Divisional forest officer (DFO), Poonch, Brij Mohan Sharma says the man-animal conflict cases have registered an increase in the border districts. "There has been an increase in the number of man-animal conflict cases, especially in Loran Mandi and Bufliaz areas here. In the Loran Mandi area, last year there were 25 cases of the Himalayan black bear attacking people, whereas in Bufliaz two such cases were reported. There are also reports that in Nowshehra tehsil of Rajouri district, there has been an increase in the number of leopard attacks", Sharma informs.
The DFO, Poonch, informs that the field staff and Army personnel deployed in forests too have also reported an increase in the frequency of the sighting of endangered wild animals.