Srinagar, Dec. 17 -- Srinagar has been living through a strange kind of suspense. Not the kind born of political diktats or security clampdowns, but of nature itself asserting its presence in the city's everyday life. Two young black bears, wandering freely through neighborhoods and campuses, have unsettled routines, provoked nervous humor, and reminded residents that the line between wilderness and urban space is thinner than we imagine. Their presence is not an isolated spectacle rather it is a symptom of a larger ecological imbalance that Kashmir can no longer ignore.

Wildlife, by instinct, avoids human settlements. Bears are nocturnal, shy, and usually retreat at the slightest disturbance. Yet in recent years, Kashmir has witnessed a...