In a first, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has issued orders to shoot Himalayan black bears in Pauri district even as the animals have caused 71 attacks leading to the deaths of six people and 60 livestock across the state in the past three months.
Experts are pointing to climate change as a likely factor responsible for the attacks as global warming has interfered with the animals’ natural hibernation cycles.
Paithani in the Thalisain block of Pauri district has become a hotspot for black bear attacks. So far, bears have killed 40 cattle there. Two village residents have also been injured. The attacks have caused a virtual curfew in the area.
Pauri district is not alone. A bear attacked a group of women who had gone to the forest to collect grass in Dharkuri village of Jakholi block in Rudraprayag district. Seven women were injured in the incident. Bears have suddenly been spotted around towns like Gopeshwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Bhawali.
According to Pauri's Divisional Forest Officer, Abhimanyu Singh, the Chief Wildlife Warden has issued orders to eliminate the bear responsible for the attacks. “We had to do this by November 14, but we couldn’t shoot the bear within the deadline,” he said. “Because we have seen more than one bear in the camera traps installed there, identifying the bear responsible is difficult, but the team is working to tranquilise and capture it.”
According to Paithani Forest Range Officer Dinesh Chandra Nautiyal, bears have been continuously visiting cattle pens in the area and killing cattle. “These gaushalas (cattle pens) are located on the edge of the forest, about one to two kilometres from the village. We installed camera traps, which showed four to five bears in the area. Therefore, identifying which bear is the attacker is difficult. The order to kill bears was only until November 14. The deadline has since passed. Therefore, we have set up cages to capture the bear. Pepper spray is being used to protect the cattle pens from bear attacks. This will keep the animals away.”
Uttarakhand Forest Department data shows that in the past 25 years, bears have attacked and injured 1,972 people, resulting in 68 deaths. In 2022, 57 people were injured, and one was killed in bear attacks. In 2023, approximately 53 people were injured, but no deaths were reported. In 2024, 65 people were attacked by bears, and three died. In 2025, 71 people were attacked by bears, and seven have died so far.
The Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger) is found in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, and Arunachal Pradesh.
It is also found in the warmer forests below the Himalayas, from Rajaji National Park and Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand to Mizoram.
In the Himalayan forests, black bears’ food availability dwindles significantly before winter. The animals eat as much as possible before winter to build up body fat for surviving the cold months. Himalayan bears hibernate, but their sleep is not as long and deep as that of polar bears. This is why black bears become extremely active and sensitive before winter. These bears eat most of the animals they hunt on the spot, then go back to their den and regurgitate all the meat they’ve eaten. This process allows them to store meat and fat, which they consume during the winter.
Himalayan black bears do not hibernate in warmer areas as they do not face food shortages.
For the past several years now, bear species around the world have been experiencing disturbances in their hibernation activities because of rising temperatures.
S Sathyakumar, a scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, attributes the increasing number of bear attacks to changing temperatures. According to him, snowfall in the Himalayan regions is decreasing, making the cold less intense. Consequently, the hibernation period for bears living in colder regions has decreased. Bears hibernate to survive the harsh winter season when food is scarce.
Singh also considers global warming to be one of the reasons for the increase in bear attacks.
Now that there is less cold, bears hibernate less and venture out more in the winter. Bears find food more easily at this time, not in the forests, but near human settlements.
In Uttarakhand, within a four- to five-kilometre radius of Gopeshwar, Almora, and Joshimath, where garbage is dumped, bears are easily seen at night, feeding on garbage. The situation is similar in other areas.
Food shortage for bears may also be a reason.
Singh cited the example of several countries such as Japan and Canada, which have also seen an increase in bear attacks in recent years. Studies suggest this may be linked to the decline of traditional berries and other food sources.
A similar trend is likely observed in Uttarakhand, but further studies are needed to confirm this. Bears eat a fruit found in oak forests, locally known as bhamor. This has decreased compared to earlier times. The areas where recent attacks are occurring are adjacent to reserve forests and have traditionally been bear habitats, meaning both food shortages and habitat pressure are increasing conflicts.
According to wildlife behaviour experts like Joy Hukil, the sudden increase in human-bear conflicts is largely due to the increase in bear populations in the wild, which is going unnoticed. “If you look at the camera-trap footage from Paithani, one thing is clear: four to five different bears are seen roaming the same area,” he said.
“Shoot-at-sight orders for bears have not been given in the past in India, to the best of my knowledge,” wildlife biologist Yadavendradev Jhala told Down To Earth. “This development in Uttarakhand is thus unique,” he added.