Panic spread at a resort in Jammu and Kashmir’s scenic Sonamarg region after a wild bear was spotted roaming in the area. A video now circulating widely on social media shows the bear running frantically while several men chased it with cameras, adding to the chaos.
Authorities from the forest department were alerted and launched an immediate operation to either capture the bear or guide it safely back into the wild. Officials urged the public to avoid approaching wild animals, stressing the risk of confrontation.
Bear Sightings Linked to Waste Mismanagement
The incident comes months after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a directive in November 2023, criticizing the Sonamarg Development Authority for improper waste disposal. The tribunal emphasized that open garbage dumping was attracting wildlife like the Himalayan brown bear into human settlements.
WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO:
A report from the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee submitted to the NGT stated, “Tourism development—including hotel construction, guest houses, restaurants, markets, roadworks and tunnelling projects—has caused habitat fragmentation and increased human encroachment in areas that were once exclusively home to various wildlife species, including the Himalayan Brown Bear.”
The growing conflict between wildlife and expanding tourism infrastructure has raised concerns over the safety of both humans and animals in the region.