| Summary: | SPARC 2021 Poster No. 14 As the human population is expanding, the demand for land and other natural resources is also increasing rapidly. This has led to the destruction and degradation of wildlife habitats around the world. Human encroachment into wild habitats increases competition with wild animals for food, shelter, and other resources. The inevitable human interaction with wildlife often gives rise to human-wildlife conflicts inflicting losses on both sides. Despite the lack of scientific records in Kargil, India, there appears to have been an increase in human-wild carnivore interactions evidenced through undocumented cases. In this region, livestock rearing is one of the essential sources of income for the local human population. The local sharp decline in the prey species causes carnivores to enter human settlements in search of food ultimately results in attacks on livestock. The snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ), Tibetan wolf ( Canis lupus chanco ), Himalayan brown bear ( Ursos arctos isabellinus ), and fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) are primarily responsible for livestock loss in Kargil. Due to livestock depredation by wild carnivores, local farmers incur severe economic and psychological losses, and they sometimes resort to retaliation killing of the carnivores. Therefore, research is necessary to understand the pattern of human-wild carnivore conflicts in Kargil, and the impact of human behaviour on wild carnivores and vice versa. This study focuses on gathering data on the level and magnitude of human conflict with wild carnivores. Whilst also furthering understanding of various socio-economic factors, the study will give an insight into the human perception towards wild carnivores.
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