Himalayan brown bear eludes wildlife officials after entering Gilgit village

GILGIT: A Himalayan brown bear that ventured into Gudai village of Astore district of Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday night has mysteriously evaded surveillance by the wildlife department, leaving local officials scrambling to locate the animal.

The bear, which entered the village near a ravine, caused a stir among residents as it wandered close to a house.

During its time in the area, it reportedly killed dozens of hens and attacked a local, who fortunately escaped without injury.

Upon receiving reports of the bear’s presence, officials from the police and the wildlife department rushed to the scene and urged the locals to retreat to safety.

The officials decided to keep the bear under surveillance, intending to guide it back towards the Deosai National Park under the cover of night.

However, in a surprising turn of events, the bear managed to evade their watch, disappearing into the wilderness, leaving the wildlife officials to follow its tracks in hopes of tracing its whereabouts.

The incident has raised concerns among the residents of Gudai village, who fear the bear might return.

Earlier, a snow leopard cub, illegally sold on the black market after being captured from its habitat in Nazbar Nullah, Yasin Valley, Ghizer district, was recovered by the Gilgit-Baltistan Forests, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department.