Patisain (Pauri Garhwal): The escalating menace of Himalayan black bears during winter months has turned into a nightmare for rural communities across Uttarakhand. No district has been spared from aggressive bear attacks, leaving residents in constant fear and accelerating migration from remote villages. In a heart-wrenching incident from Pokhra block in Pauri district, the last remaining family of Bastag hamlet in Paniya Gram Sabha has been forced to abandon their ancestral home after a bear killed all six of their livestock animals within just one week. The bear has now taken up permanent residence in their courtyard.

Fearing for their lives, Harish Prasad Nautiyal and his family—wife Jasoda Devi, son Sanjay, and divorced daughter Shanti—have left the village and taken shelter in a relative’s house in neighbouring Paniya village. With their departure, Bastag has become completely deserted. This family was the only one still residing in the hamlet for the past five years, keeping it from turning into a ghost village.

Harish Prasad Nautiyal, visibly emotional, said, “I never imagined that a bear would be the reason we would have to leave our village. It has snatched away our entire livelihood.” The family relied on two milking cows, a pair of bullocks, and two goats for their daily income. Within a single week, the bear systematically attacked and killed all the animals, leaving them with no source of income or means to survive in the remote location.

Jasoda Devi added tearfully, “Wild animals started coming right into our courtyard. The fear for our lives became unbearable, so we were forced to leave our ancestral home.” The family had repeatedly appealed to the Forest Department for help in driving away the bear, but no effective action was taken, they claim.

Paniya Gram Pradhan Harshpal Singh Negi explained that about one-and-a-half decades ago, around 18 families lived in Bastag. However, the lack of road connectivity, electricity, and basic amenities drove most residents to migrate to towns and cities. During the COVID-19 period, a few families returned temporarily and converted their mud houses into pucca (concrete) structures, but they soon left again. Harshpal Singh Negi noted that bear and leopard attacks have become frequent even in Paniya and surrounding areas.

Range Officer of Pokhra Range, Nakshatra Shah, assured that the department would soon provide security arrangements for the Nautiyal family so they can return to their village. He said the Forest Department is actively working on measures such as installing traps, setting up barriers, and conducting awareness drives to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the region.

Experts attribute the surge in bear attacks this winter to changing climate patterns. Reduced snowfall in the higher reaches has disrupted the bears’ hibernation cycle, forcing them to remain active and venture into human settlements in search of food. Across Uttarakhand, bear attacks have resulted in injuries and fatalities in multiple districts this season, turning human-wildlife conflict into a serious crisis.

This tragic incident from Bastag once again highlights the growing challenges of rural depopulation, wildlife conservation, and livelihood security in the Himalayas. While immediate relief and compensation for affected families are essential, long-term solutions—such as better habitat management for bears, community-based early-warning systems, insurance schemes for livestock, and eco-tourism alternatives—are urgently needed to prevent more villages from turning into ghost settlements.

The state government and forest authorities must act swiftly to restore confidence among hill residents, or the delicate balance between humans and wildlife in Uttarakhand’s fragile mountain ecosystem will continue to tilt dangerously.