Following a spate of attacks by Asiatic black bears in Uttarakhand, the forest department has released a slew of directions, including shooting to kill as a last resort. Five people have died in these attacks this year.
The guidelines for the prevention and management of human–bear conflict during the winter season were issued on Thursday. This is the pre-hibernation period for bears, when bears that hibernate during winter are found active in several areas, the department said. It attributed the possible causes for changes in bear behaviour to climate change, reduced food availability, improper waste management, and disturbance to habitat.
On Thursday, a woman injured in a bear attack while foraging in Chamoli had to be airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh.
New guidelines
The guidelines included spreading awareness to avoid going to the forest in the early morning or evening, better waste management, and strong fencing. Officials were also asked to identify hotspots by noting recent bear movements, presence in camera traps, and pugmarks to ensure their protection. Officials have been asked to conduct foot patrols by quick response teams and field staff in identified sensitive areas.
After bears are spotted, teams have been asked to carry a tranquillisation kit, protective gear, rescue net/cage, first-aid kit, searchlight, and communication equipment. Tranquillisation must be performed only by an authorised veterinarian.
As long-term measures, the department has also asked officials to ensure the availability of natural food for bears in their habitat by planting and protecting species like oak, kafal, wild berries, etc, within forest areas. “Protect and conserve bear habitats in areas with high bear density. Ensure regular capacity-building training for field staff on bear behaviour and new rescue techniques. Prepare region- and season-specific human–bear conflict management plans,” the department said.
Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden Ranjan Kumar Mishra said five deaths have been reported in bear attacks this year. According to data from the department, this is the highest since 2016 — a year that also saw five deaths from bear attacks.
Villages suffer losses
Last week, Divisional Forest Officer, Garhwal Forest Division, Pauri, Abhimanyu Singh, had said that the area was plagued by livestock losses caused by a bear in the villages of Kundil, Kucholi and Saunth of the Paithani Range. The Chief Wildlife Warden granted permission to first install a cage to capture the bear, and if the bear does not enter the cage, to tranquillise and capture it, and in unavoidable circumstances, as a last resort, to eliminate the bear within a period of 15 days.
Singh told The Indian Express that there are at least four bears in the region, as it houses a reserve forest. “Several cow sheds are situated adjoining the forest, and the bears have killed over 45 cattle over the last three months. Attacks this time of the year are unusual, as bears go to the upper reaches for hibernation. Bears consume more food before hibernation, but the attacks have been exceptional,” he said.
The Asiatic black bear, found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal, Uttarakhand, and northeastern states, inhabits forests at heights ranging from 1,200 metres to 3,300 metres. According to experts, the movements of the bears are influenced by the changes in quality, quantity and distribution of food, as they need to store excess calories to support hibernation.
In Uttarakhand, Asiatic black bears have been found in Nanda Devi National Park and Biosphere Reserve, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Valley of Flowers National Park, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, and Askot. They have also been reportedly sighted in the Yamunotri and Gangotri valleys, the forested areas in and around Mussoorie, Chakrata, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Bageshwar, Dharamghar, and Binsar, the upper catchments of Ram Ganga, Ladhiya Valley, and in parts of Pithoragarh district. Apart from the hilly areas, the bears have been seen in Corbett National Park and along the Ganga in Chilla in Rajaji National Park.
Shortened hibernation
Forest department officials have said that there seems to be a shortened hibernation period for black bears at higher elevations, influenced by climate change. Reasons for the increased incidents of reported cattle killings and attacks on humans by Asiatic black bears have also been attributed to their shrinking habitat due to the extension of agricultural land, human encroachment, and habitat degradation.
A range officer in Badrinath said the delay in snowfall and the onset of winter have resulted in increased attacks. “We get calls from five villages every day, seeking assistance against attacks on cattle. Usually, bears leave by early November, and this year, they have raided crops, attacked humans, and eaten their cattle. We have scaled up patrolling, even at night. However, the remoteness of the villages in the regions renders it impossible to reach spots on time,” the officer said.
As conflict with leopards and bears has left many villages in Uttarakhand on edge, the state forest department has taken on the responsibility of ferrying children to school.
The guidelines included spreading awareness to avoid going to the forest in the early morning or evening, better waste management, and strong fencing. 
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