Mehnaz Nazir, Lovely Professional University

Human wildlife conflict (HWC) in the Kashmir Himalaya is increasingly driven by interactions between expanding human land use and the ecological requirements of large carnivores, especially the Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger). Seasonal food scarcity, habitat encroachment, and the availability of crops collectively intensify human–bear encounters, making the species a focal point of conflict. Understanding the spatial patterns and socio-ecological drivers of bear conflict is critical for developing effective mitigation strategies. We evaluated patterns of HWC across the Greater Himalaya and Pir Panjal ranges of Kashmir, based on questionnaire surveys of 600 respondents across the region and reported a total of 1105 conflict incidents. Black bear emerged as the main conflict species involved in 49.77% incidents, followed by leopard. Conflict distribution differed significantly between the two landscapes, with black bear incidents markedly higher in the Greater Himalayas than in the Pir Panjal. Most black bear conflicts involved crop damage, resulting in considerable economic losses. Though less frequent, human attacks increased fear and hostility toward wildlife. Other species such as, macaques, red foxes, langurs, porcupines, and wild boars were involved less frequently, and were more region-specific. Current measures involving fire, noise, night vigilance, and guard dogs were largely ineffective. Compensation covered only human injury, excluding crop losses thus worsening local hardship and dissatisfaction. Despite spatial differences in conflict frequency, community perceptions were similar across both landscapes supporting conservation, excluding conflict-prone species like black bears and leopards. Overall, black bears dominated conflict records, highlighting their key role in human–wildlife interactions in the Kashmir Himalaya. Targeted mitigation and fair compensation are urgently needed to reduce conflict and support coexistence in the region.