The first-of-its-kind study into the feeding habits of the Himalayan Brown bears in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed some shocking details.
The study carried out over six months found that the bears have become scavengers for food and most of their diet comes from the garbage.
Wildlife SOS
Six-month-long study across bear habitat
The study, titled “Himalayan Brown Bear Ecological and Human-Bear Conflict Investigation In Kashmir With Special Reference To Bear Habituation To Garbage Dumps In The Central Wildlife Division”, was carried out by Wildlife SOS and the Wildlife Protection Department between May and October 2021.
The study area included Thajwas (Baltal) Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonamarg, Laxpathri, Nilgrath and Sarbal villages since they are critical bear habitats and prime tourist destinations. Sonamarg, in particular, was chosen due to its role as a bear habitat extending up to the Zojila.
Wildlife SOS
Bears feeding on plastic and leftover food
The study has shockingly discovered that 75% of food items in a Brown Bear’s diet were scavenged from the garbage. This included excreted plastic carry bags, milk powder, chocolate wrappers and biryani.
On studying 408 scat samples of Brown bears, the team found that 86 scats have excreted plastic carry bags, milk powder, and chocolate covers.
Wildlife SOS
Some scats even had remnants of glass! The frequency of occurrence of garbage was 75% higher than wild plant matter, crop raids, and hunted sheep.
Impact of feeding on garbage
The study was conducted to assess the anthropogenic pressure on the Brown bear habitat, evaluate and mitigate human-bear conflict, and the dependence and habituation of Brown bear on garbage dumps.
It is not just the bears; the research team also found evidence of other species, like the Himalayan marmot and the elusive Asian Ibex munching on trash. Such evidence points toward the dire need to implement mitigation measures promptly.
Wildlife SOS
“The findings from scat analysis were strengthened by data gathered from camera traps—62% of which have captured bone-chilling sequences of Brown bears foraging for food at garbage dumps. Such items from waste can be harmful to the gastric intestinal structure of the Brown bear, leading to severe ailments and shortening their life span. Such behaviour can also be passed from mother to infant, leading to complete loss in natural foraging traits,” Swaminathan S, Wildlife SOS Senior Biologist, said.
Recommendations
Based on their findings, Wildlife SOS has submitted recommendations to the Jammu and Kashmir Development Authority and the Tourism Board.
“The recommendations included creating proper waste disposal management, locating garbage dumps far away from human habitation, securing the perimeter of garbage sites with chain link mesh, and even bear-proofing garbage bins,” Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO and Co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said.
Wildlife SOS
Himalayan Brown Bears, all you need to know
The Himalayan Brown Bear population in Kashmir has been a mystery for wildlife conservationists and researchers due to its restricted distribution in the alpine meadows of the Himalayas.
Scant information exists about the Himalayan Brown Bear and almost no research exists on these bears in the Kashmir region.
Wildlife SOS
Threatened by habitat destruction due to various anthropogenic pressures such as habitat encroachment, tourism, and grazing pressure, the Himalayan Brown bear population has been steadily declining in the past century, with only an estimated 500-750 bears left in India. They are listed as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.
Wildlife SOS
“Due to the remote terrains they occupied, the Himalayan Brown Bears was a rare sight for the last 2 decades. Recently, however, Brown bears have increasingly come into the purview of humans as they venture into lower altitudes in search of food. To study them, our team utilised field methodologies such as camera trapping and interviews of key stakeholders – locals, nomads, and army personnel. The Wildlife SOS research team even tracked animal footprints and scattering to get an in-depth understanding of bear behaviour,” Aaliya Mir, Project Manager and Education Officer at Wildlife SOS said.
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