Uttarakhand: 25 Years of Wildlife Conflict, Still No Safety Blueprint

• Uttarakhand faces severe and increasing human-wildlife conflict, particularly in winter, with various animals posing threats to residents.
• Despite historical efforts like Edward Corbett's, the state has lacked a concrete long-term policy to address human-wildlife conflict in its 25 years.
• Wildlife attacks, especially from bears and leopards, lead to significant human casualties, safety concerns for villagers, and increased migration.
• Climate change is contributing to altered animal behavior, such as black bears aggressively seeking food in human settlements due to disturbed hibernation.
• There is an urgent call for Uttarakhand to develop a permanent, long-term wildlife safety blueprint to protect residents and prevent further migration.

Why It Matters: Uttarakhand's human-wildlife conflict demands an urgent safety blueprint.