Satellite collars to track bears in Valley

In the first such move in India,the J-K Wildlife Department has put satellite collars on black bears to study their ecological behaviour and to help prevent the man-animal conflict from escalating.

A team of researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India,which is studying the ecology of the black bear,has put the satellite collars on three black bears ¿ a male,female and a cub in the Dachigam National Park. So far,radio collars have been used to track animals in India,but a satellite can automatically pick up signals from a collar in the dark and even through snowstorms. The collars consist of a special transmitter which sends a signal to a passing satellite. A computer on board the satellite calculates the location of the animal and sends the information to ground stations.

These satellite collars will help the Wildlife Department study the ecological behaviour,habitat and foot habits of the Himalayan black bear,declared as a protected species by International Union for Conservation of Nature,says Wildlife warden Rashid Naqash. “This will help us in conservation efforts”.

The satellite collars can also help the prevent man-animal conflicts in the Valley that have already killed more than 25 people in past four years and injured more than 150. “We can study the behaviour of these animals and when they move towards human habitations,” says Naqash says. “We are concerned about the man-animal conflict,” says state Forests and Wildlife Minister Mian Altaf. “We are trying to find a solution that will not affect wildlife adversely”.