A two-year-old boy was killed by a leopard while playing in his garden in Sharhama Lach village, Handwara, India, highlighting escalating human-wildlife tensions in the Kashmir region.
Hasnain Nisar, son of Nisar Ahmad Teli, was attacked by the wild cat in the disputed territory. Local residents rushed the injured child to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The incident marks another entry in the growing list of human-wildlife confrontations in Kashmir. Between 2006 and 2022, 245 people lost their lives and 30,000 were injured in animal attacks in the region. Since 2011, nearly 200 people have been killed and over 2,000 injured in wildlife attacks in the region. Children are particularly vulnerable to these encounters. The wildlife department has established control rooms and issued advisories to address the situation.
Member of Legislative Assembly Langate, Sheikh Khurshid, visited the scene and called for increased action from wildlife officials. “It is imperative that wildlife officials act swiftly to ensure the safety of our local residents,” Khurshid said.
Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari expressed concern over the wildlife department’s capabilities. “The incidents of human-wildlife conflict have become a daily occurrence in the valley. The wildlife department is neither well-equipped nor adequately staffed to tackle these challenges effectively,” Bukhari said.
The Mawer area has reported several wildlife attacks in recent months. Experts attribute the increase in human-wildlife conflict to rapid urbanization and deforestation, which have pushed animals closer to human settlements.
A study of the Kupwara district, where Handwara is located, identified common leopards, black bears, and foxes as the primary animals involved in these conflicts. The proximity of agricultural lands to forests has increased encounters between humans and wildlife.
Experts recommend several long-term solutions, including habitat restoration, increased funding for wildlife management, improved livestock infrastructure, and construction of watch towers and fencing. They emphasize the importance of maintaining ecological balance while protecting human settlements.
The wildlife department has mobilized hunters to track animals that pose immediate threats to human settlements. Additionally, authorities are focusing on afforestation efforts to increase herbivore populations and provide sufficient food for carnivores within their natural habitats.