MAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT

After over 150 deaths, here is a dog solution

JAMMU: With over 150 human deaths due to wild animal attacks over last five years, an organisation working with the nomadic tribal communities has suggested a 'dog solution' to deal with man-animal conflict.
Over 150 people were killed during the last 5 years in the man-animal conflict and about 1700 people received injuries during the last five years. Out of this 95 people were killed and 1,363 injured during in Kashmir region while 62 people were died and 285 injured in Jammu region. Other than the awareness programmes, the government has not been able to come with measures to avoid this deadly conflict on the margins of state's depleting forests.
An organisation working with the nomadic communities, who are more prone to animal attacks then the settled dwellers, has said that the Bakerwali dog could be a solution to avoid the conflict. "Introduction of a brigade of 'Bakerwali dogs' could be a solution to save lives of people living closer to forests", said Dr Javaid Rahi of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, after a meeting with the community member here today.
The issue of grave concern, Rahi said, was debated at a seminar attended by community members with vast knowledge of managing man-animal conflict on traditional lines.
He suggested that the Wild Life Department could introduce a brigade of 'Bakerwali dogs' to curb the incidents immediately to save human lives."The Wildlife Department should identify most effected villages across the state to introduce a fleet of 'Bakerwali dog' after training in each areas to rein in man animal conflict strategically .
He said nomads are using innovative technique in this context since centuries. He claimed that a Bakerwali Dog is extremely courageous with a power to kill a lion, a tiger or a bear alone in a situation of extreme conflict. This dog can solely fight with an animal larger in double than itself. Being human friendly the breed cannot attack any human being during migration /or in the day light especially in thickly populated areas. In night they can guard a cluster of houses efficiently.
He said Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed increase in man wild animal-conflict, which is due to the expanding human populations, construction near forest lands and wastelands, fragmentation of wild animal habitat due to development activities and conversion of habitats into croplands and orchards.
He appealed the nomadic community to support state forest department to introduced the concept of Bakerwali rigade to curb man-animal conflict in J&K