Why in news?
Wildlife officials in India’s Himalayan states have reported that Himalayan black bears are becoming unusually active and aggressive because of erratic weather. Delayed winters and unpredictable snowfall are interrupting the bears’ hibernation cycle. With less natural food available at higher elevations, the bears are descending into villages in search of crops and livestock, leading to more encounters and attacks on people.
Background
The Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger) is a subspecies of the Asian black bear found across the Himalayan region of India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Pakistan. It is recognisable by its black fur and a cream‑coloured V‑shaped patch on its chest. Adults measure between 1.4 and 1.7 metres in length and can weigh up to 180 kilograms before hibernation. These omnivores play an important role in the forest ecosystem as seed dispersers. In India the bears inhabit temperate broad‑leaved forests, alpine meadows and shrublands in states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Ecology and behaviour
- Diet: The bears feed on acorns, nuts, fruits, berries, roots, insects and honey. During scarce seasons they may kill livestock or raid crops like maize and apples.
- Hibernation patterns: In colder western Himalayas, bears enter winter dens between November and March. In the eastern Himalayas, where winters are milder, they may remain active year‑round.
- Reproduction: Cubs are usually born during hibernation and remain with their mother for about two years.
- Status: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Himalayan black bear as Vulnerable because of habitat loss, poaching and fragmentation.
Drivers of conflict
- Climate change: Warmer winters and inconsistent snowfall disrupt hibernation. Bears that do not enter deep torpor use more energy and must seek food more widely.
- Food scarcity: Fewer acorns and nuts in forested areas push bears towards farmland where crops and livestock become easy targets.
- Human encroachment: Expansion of settlements, roads and tourism into forest areas increases encounters between bears and people.
Significance
- Need for coexistence: Local communities require support to protect their crops and livestock through fencing, early‑warning systems and timely compensation for losses.
- Habitat conservation: Maintaining contiguous forest corridors allows bears to move between feeding and denning areas without entering villages.
- Research and monitoring: Studying how climate change affects hibernation and food availability can inform conservation strategies.
Sources: The New Indian Express, Wikipedia