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NASIR ALI
Srinagar: The increased presence of the wild boars has caused panic among people, particularly farmers. The animal is also not accepted culturally in the Muslim majority region.
The agriculture sector already battling the post-COVID-19 challenges, transport blockade, and unusual climatic change, now wild boars are threatening the agriculture and horticulture sector.
Farmers from the North Kashmir Baramulla said that wild boars have damaged their paddy fields, causing huge losses to them. These boars destroy our fields and saplings. They (wild boars) usually attack the paddy fields during night hours, farmers said.
The farmers said that their hard work in cultivation of these crops is getting wasted and they will not be having anything to eat if the situation continues like this. They are demanding intervention of concerned authorities and their help in this connection.
Apart from Baramulla, similar reports of these wild boar species attacking the fields are pouring in from various north Kashmir areas including Rafiabad’s Kandi belt, Handwara, Langate, and Bandipora.
Bashir Ahmad, a farmer from Uri, said it was difficult to keep boars at bay, as they mostly come at night. “We can’t go to our fields during night hours as there are chances of encountering wild animals like leopards and bears, Wild pigs often feed in large groups and can completely destroy a small paddock in a short period. Many farmers have set up a temporary fence to stop pigs from entering the field. These are, however, temporary precautions, he said.
In an exclusive conversation with ASIA SPEAKS ‘wildlife warden North Division’ Mohammad Maqbool Baba informed that firstly these wild boars are exotic they are not a native species of the valley, It is believed to have been brought to Kashmir by the Dogra ruler Maharaja Gulab Singh, who initially placed them in Dachigam park on the outskirts of Srinagar. Increase in climatic temperature, and presence of the same animal across the LoC could be the reason for their increasing presence in the valley, and with the passage of time their number have been increased and they dispersed to the different villages of north Kashmir like Limber, Lachpora, Langate, Handwara, Kupwara after crossing Kupwara they reached Lolab then Hajin, Bandipora, and to our information in Hajin they destroyed crops and orchards, being omnivores in nature they can eat anything, and compared to other large mammals, wild boars have a very short gestation period of about 114 days. Sows are sexually mature at 6-8 months of age and average 8-10 piglets per litter,” added Baba.
“Had been they in 100’s we would have set up a cage to catch them in those conditions. What can we do when they are in thousands and present everywhere? People have to be extra vigilant in saving their paddy fields,” he added.
“Besides it, we have established many awareness camps at different locations in order to aware the farmers asked them to safeguard your agriculture land in order to protect it from trespassing, there should be proper Watch & Ward arrangement as these farmers earn from these cultivated lands,” he said
“In this regard Department of Wildlife has started project in Dachigam let’s see what will be the outcome of the project, and will accordingly share with you,” he said.
Representation image
