Half of Himachal grappling with human-wildlife conflict: Leopards and black bears spark tension

The study found that black bears and leopards primarily prey on livestock, with sheep and goats accounting for 83.79 percent of attacks. Cattle were the next most affected (13.20 percent), followed by horses (4.75 percent). While leopards occasionally target dogs, at a rate of 3.40 percent, no incidents of dog predation by black bears were recorded.

Conflict patterns and population study

The ZSI study, titled Population Estimation & Assessment of Human-Wildlife Conflict, covered 72 forest ranges, which were divided into 1,514 grids, each measuring 5×5 km. The report, completed in 2023, was recently submitted to the Himachal Pradesh Forest & Wildlife Department.

The study also highlighted that black bears, known for raiding crops, are involved in 16 percent of such incidents, behind monkeys (59 percent) and wild boars (19 percent). Both bears and leopards are increasingly coming into conflict with humans near urban areas.

Wildlife week discussions

These findings were discussed at a program organized by the Forest and Wildlife Department during the 73rd Wildlife Week in Shimla on October 7. The ZSI research team, led by scientists Bheem Dutt Joshi, Lalit Kumar Sharma, and Mukesh Thakur, conducted the survey.

“Our study found that the expansion of settlements near forests has significantly contributed to the rise in conflicts,” said ZSI scientist Bheem Dutt Joshi. “We’ve recommended solutions such as encouraging clustered settlements in villages, forming rescue teams, and raising public awareness.”

The team collected non-invasive genetic samples, primarily scats, from bears and leopards across the survey grids. Through this method, they identified 307 black bears and 333 leopards. The total populations of these species were estimated at 529 and 510, respectively.

Where are the animals?

Among the black bears, the highest numbers were recorded in Kinnaur (90), followed by Kullu (76) and Shimla (71). Chamba had 32 bears, while Kangra and Mandi had 15 each. Sirmaur recorded five, and Lahaul & Spiti and Solan had just one bear each.

For leopards, Shimla topped the list with 58 individuals, followed by Solan (56), Mandi (50), Sirmaur (48), and Kinnaur (44). Smaller populations were found in Bilaspur (13), Kangra (13), Chamba (5), Hamirpur (4), Una (2), and Lahaul & Spiti (1).

Seasonal behaviour and solutions

The two-year study also tracked seasonal predation patterns. In Chamba, black bear attacks on livestock peaked in summer (31.55 percent), followed by autumn (31.18 percent). In Mandi, autumn saw the highest bear predation (33.33 percent), with summer and winter following closely behind.

Leopard attacks varied by region. In Bilaspur, the highest predation occurred in spring (32.65 percent), while in Chamba, summer saw the most leopard activity (30.71 percent). The study suggests that human settlements built in isolated areas—often near forests—are a key factor behind rising conflicts.

Community involvement

To gauge public opinion, ZSI and the forest department surveyed 1,298 residents. The respondents overwhelmingly identified leopards as the primary threat to livestock. The study also discovered signs of the elusive musk deer and barking deer in certain forest ranges, though these species were not the focus of the research.

The study was part of a larger project initiated in 2021, following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Himachal Pradesh Forest & Wildlife Department and ZSI. The project aimed to assess the extent of human-wildlife conflict, design management strategies, and estimate the populations of key species, including the Asiatic black bear and common leopard.