Wildlife officials experts say solitary visits to orchards should be avoided

BARAMULLA: A woman was mauled to death by a bear in Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday.
Officials said that a woman identified as Zoona Begum 55 wife of Mohammad Akbar Malik of Timerhama village of Tangmarg Baramulla was attacked by a black bear outside her home nearby orchards on Thursday morning where she went for some work.
They said she received serious injuries in the attack and was shifted to nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead.
Range officer wildlife department Gulmarg Naseer Ahmad Rawa confirmed to Kashmir Reader that a woman was mauled to death by a bear in Tangmarg. He said soon after the incident a team of wildlife department rushed to the area to catch the beast. He said the department is going to install some cages in the area to catch the beast.
There have been reports of several attacks during the past week with wildlife officials saying that the bears are roaming in search of fruits in orchards. Earlier on Wednesday a 60 year old man from Dolipora Villgam Handwara received serious injuries in a bear attack, while last week another 60 year old from Muqam-e-Shahwali Kupwara was also injured in a bear attack .
Wildlife warden for north Kashmir Mohammad Maqbool Baba again appealed to all the people living close to the forest areas and orchards to not move outside alone mostly in morning and evening hours.
He said the black bears are roaming in the orchards in search of apples and other fruits and they target more when people walk alone. He said people should visit their orchards and fields in groups so that bears and leopard attacks could be averted.

Mushtaq Ahamd