DEHRADUN: Human wildlife conflict has intensified sharply in Uttarakhand, with nearly half of the fatalities recorded since 2000 occurring in the past six years, according to a study by Vishwambhar Prasad Sati, Senior Professor and Dean, School of Earth Sciences and Natural Resource Management at Mizoram University.
The study recorded 954 deaths due to encounters with wild animals between 2000 and 2025.
Of these, 438, nearly 46%, occurred between 2020 and 2025, pointing to a disproportionate rise in fatal encounters during the recent period. Another 2,335 people were injured during these six years.
“The sharp concentration of deaths and injuries after 2020 indicates that human wildlife conflict is no longer an occasional problem. It has emerged as a serious threat to life and livelihoods across Uttarakhand,” Sati, a native of the Himalayan state, told TNIE.
Fatalities touched a high of 84 in 2024, followed by 82 in 2022. Injuries peaked at 512 in 2024, while 488 cases were reported in 2025.
Leopards were the deadliest species over the study period, accounting for 548 human deaths and 2,127 injuries.
Elephants caused 230 deaths and 234 injuries, while tigers were responsible for 106 fatalities and 130 injuries. Bear attacks claimed 70 lives and injured 2,013 people. Sati said bear related attacks had risen noticeably in 2025, particularly in the middle Himalayan region.
Wildlife estimates cited in the study put Uttarakhand’s bear population at around 3,200, followed by 2,276 leopards and 2,026 elephants. The tiger population is estimated at 560.
Conflict patterns vary across the state. Pauri, which has the highest leopard population, frequently reports encounters involving leopards and bears.
Tehri is another major hotspot. In Nainital, the concentration of tigers and leopards around the Corbett landscape contributes significantly to attacks.
Elephants dominate conflict incidents in the plains districts of Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar.
In Haridwar, elephant deaths are also frequently reported along the Dehradun-Haridwar railway line. The study attributed such collisions to the absence of a properly designed and protected elephant corridor.
In the middle Himalayas, bears and leopards cause most casualties, while wild boars and langurs inflict extensive damage on standing crops.
“District specific conservation measures, secure wildlife corridors and faster response systems are essential,” Sati said. “A uniform policy cannot address the distinct conflict patterns of the plains, middle Himalayas and high altitude regions.”
In 2025 alone, 68 people were killed and 488 injured in such incidents, Prof. Sati said.
Pauri recorded the highest number of human wildlife conflict related fatalities in Uttarakhand, with 53 deaths, followed by Almora with 47 and Tehri with 36.
Chamoli and Nainital reported 30 fatalities each, while Dehradun and Pithoragarh also recorded substantial losses. In contrast, Bageshwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Champawat each reported fewer than 20 wildlife related deaths.