Wild boar rampage in Kashmir; May be dangerous to agriculture and rare species

SHAKEELA ANDRABI

SRINAGAR: Wild boars -non- native animal resurfaced in the Valley and created scare in the localities.
In 2021 a report was carried out by the media houses that the increased presence of the animal has caused panic among people, particularly farmers.
The animal is also not accepted culturally and religiously in this region.
According to experts, Wild boars, which are not native to Kashmir and had not seen since the mid -80’s have been sighted increasingly in the past few years in the Valley causing concern among the common masses.
Senior wildlife officer of the Wildlife Department said that the species was introduced by the Maharaja some 100 years ago.
“They had not been sighted for many years. It has revived recently,” he said.
He said that the reason for its revival may be multiple.
“Climate change can be one of the factors. We have been witnessing warm temperatures for the past few years, particularly in winter,” he said.
Experts said that the animal shares its habitat and even food with hangul, the endangered species of red deer native to Kashmir.
“While the wild boars serve as prey for leopards and other wild animals, it can also impact the habitat of hangul,” they said. In north Kashmir, he said, the reason may be owing to the increase in the population of wild boars because it is located near LOC.
“Wild boars are not native to Kashmir and were first introduced in the region during the time of Maharaja Gulab Singh,” he said, adding that the “first (recorded) sighting of the wild boar after the 1980s was in 2013, after a dead pig in the Limber and Lacchipora wildlife sanctuaries of the Kajinag range in North Kashmir was spotted.”
According to the official the wild boar resurgence needs to be studied thoroughly.
He said that they have not yet conducted any census of the animal, “which is a prolific breeder and is omnivorous.” “It is an invasive species and a prolific breeder. And universally it is a fact that when an invasive species comes it becomes dominant on the native species. It will obviously have a negative effect on the ecosystem,” he said.
It is believed that wild boars pose a new threat to agriculture sectors in Kashmir as these wild animals have damaged paddy fields, apple orchards the locals said that the wild boars have been on rampage, causing extensive damage to crops leaving community in distress.
The concerned residents said that the wild boars’ attack paddy fields during the night and destroy crops in no time. They said these animals attack in groups and more than ten wild boars are seen at the same time attacking these paddy fields.
“The wild boars definitely vanished almost in Kashmir but since a few years their number has increased,” the senior Wildlife officer said.
He said that the department has formed a team of researchers who will their presence besides their impact on the ecology and habitat.