Abstract
Managing human-wildlife conflict requires a spatial understanding, but this is hindered by a lack of spatially explicit data. The present research was conducted in the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) in Kashmir, India, with the aim of investigating possible geospatial connections between animal attacks on humans between 2019 and 2021. The patterns and drivers of human-wildlife conflicts around HWS were investigated using spatially-implicit data collected from 2019–2021. There were significant differences in attack patterns across the months, and majority of the attacks occurred outside the park. Most of the attacks occurred within 1 km of the buffer zone forests and croplands. A maximum of one victim per 1 km2 was observed for all attacking animals, indicating a strong positive correlation. A combination of kernel density and land use groups was used to calculate magnitude per unit area at risk of wildlife attack. Finally, it was found that the most dangerous sites were those near the forest that were covered by agricultural land and inhabited by humans. Our findings can help any local spatial decision-making process improve the coexistence of natural protection in the park and the safety of human communities living nearby.
Article History
Received: Feb 02, 2023; Accepted: March 11, 2024; Published: March 26, 2024
Recommended Citation
Bhat, T.,
Tanveer, S.,
& Ahmad, K.
(2024).
Susceptibility Assessment of Human–Wildlife Conflict in Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary Western Himalayas, Kashmir Using Geospatial Techniques,
Journal of Bioresource Management, 11
(1).
