Srinagar, April 26 -- More than 260 people have been killed in human-animal conflict in Kashmir in the last 17 years.

Figures reveal that from 2006 to March 2024, 264 individuals have fallen prey to man-animal conflicts, with hundreds getting injured. "The toll is staggering. As 14 deaths and 65 injuries were recorded in 2022-23, 16 deaths and 182 injuries were reported from 2023 to March 2024 alone," he said.

Experts believe that the encroachment of wildlife habitats by humans has led to an increase in such incidents.

Rao Farman Ali, a renowned author and researcher said the areas once exclusively inhabited by wild animals are now being encroached upon by human populations, resulting in attacks on humans. "The unplanned urbanization a...