JAMMU: To curb the alarming rise in man-animal conflict in the Jammu and Kashmir - the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation -a leading organisation of Gujjars- today advised the State government to introduce a brigade of 'Bakerwali Dogs' to protect human lives residing near forests. It said, that the nomad Gujjars are using the rare breed of tough and honest 'Bakerwali Dog' as protector of their lives and livestock in forests , since centuries.
The suggestion was made by the intellectuals of Gujjar community while addressing a programme organised by the Foundation on 'Man Animal Conflicts and Gujjars Tribe". The event was presided over by noted Tribal researcher Dr. Javaid Rahi while a number of Tribal dignitaries participated in the programme. Dr. Javaid Rahi, in his presidential address stated that only tranquiliser guns, cages, nets, crackers cant combat the human-animal conflict solely but it needs a proper planning at ground level.
Quoting a government document wherein it said that 42 people have been killed by wild animals in Jammu & Kashmir during the last two years and at least 515 have been injured. He said the situation is growing grim on the ground day by day. He suggested that the J&K Wild Life Department must introduce a brigade of 'Bakerwali Dogs' to curb the incidents immediately to save human lives.
He suggested that the wild life to identify most effected villages across the state to introduce a fleet of 'Bakerwali Dog' after training in each areas to rein in man animal conflict strategically . He said nomads are using innovative technique in this context since centuries. He said a Bakerwali Dog is extremely courageous with a power to kill a lion, a tiger or a bear alone in a situation of extreme conflict . This dog can solely fight with an animal larger in double than itself. Being human friendly the breed cannot attack any human being during migration /or in the day light especially in thickly populated areas. In night they can guard a cluster of houses efficiently.
He said Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed increase in man wild animal-conflict, which is due to the expanding human populations, construction near forest lands and wastelands, fragmentation of wild animal habitat due to development activities and conversion of habitats into croplands and orchards. He appealed the nomadic community to support state forest department to introduced the concept of Bakerwali rigade to curb man-animal conflict in J&K.