Many lives are being lost these days in attacks by animals on humans, mostly in the hills of Uttarakhand. People are agitating for measures to be taken by the government and the forest authorities to contain the problem. It is not as if this was not a problem earlier but after the ban on hunting, the people have been rendered helpless and made absolutely dependent on the government for their protection. Also, earlier the villages had a greater number of inhabitants and their activity acted as a deterrent to the proximity of animals. There were some traditional practices also that provided safety for those venturing into forests for fodder, etc.
Now that the number of people living in villages has decreased, the leopards, bears and tigers feel less afraid to live closer. Unfortunately, it is not possible for forest guards to be present in every village to provide protection. It also seems that, for various reasons, humans have lost touch with the traditional practices that provided protection. As such, it is the duty of government to reeducate people in doing it in a mix of old and new ways. Traditionally, people were accompanied by their dogs when they ventured into the forests. In many parts of the Himalayas, they had collars on their necks with metal studs, as leopards particularly attack the spine from behind in the attempt to paralyse the prey. Dogs not only give warning of the presence of predators, but also defend humans in times of danger. As such village folk should be encouraged to have dogs accompany them.
Also, in the present age, there are numerous easily affordable self-defence tools available that villagers can keep with them. These include bear and pepper sprays, noise making devices – air horns and whistles, also those that explode to emit light, sound and smoke, scent repellants, and several others. There are many kinds of devices that can be used to protect homes without causing harm to the animals. All of these can be provided by concerned NGOs and the government free of cost to the villagers. Also, there should be regular interaction between experts and the community on the behavioral patterns of various animals – this too can improve response. The carrying capacity of each forest should be worked out in terms of how many predators may exist without too many forays into human habitations. It should also be examined how to increase the presence of natural prey. Merely trapping or killing animals after the incident is not enough – it should be the last resort.
