1,296 dead, 6,624 injured in attacks of wild animals in Uttarakhand in 25 years

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Bharadisain

A total of 1,296 people have lost their lives in the attacks of wild animals in the State from the year 2000 till January 31, 2026. Information in this regard was given by the Forest minister Subodh Uniyal in response to a question by the Doiwala MLA Brijbhushan Gairola in Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday. 

The minister said that 6,624 people had suffered serious injuries in these attacks. He said that the Forest department has set up quick response teams in different forest divisions to prevent these attacks. Uniyal that the department has installed solar lights in the sensitive areas and has undertaken sterilisation work of monkeys on a mission mode. He said bio- fencing techniques are being deployed and habitat management works are being done by the department. The minister said that the Forest department has initiated scientific studies for the behavioural change of bears in the mountainous areas.

 In response to another question, the minister said that 107 and 18 people died in attacks by leopards and bears respectively in the year 2025. He said that the government has increased the compensation to Rs 10 lakh in the cases of death and Rs three lakh for complete disability.  Uniyal added that the Forest department has also started giving compensation to the people whose houses were damaged by the bears.

In response to another question, the minister informed that a total of 1,276 incidents of forest fires occurred in the State in the year 2024 and 17,71,665 hectare of forest area was affected in these fires.

Uniyal added 13 people died while seven suffered injuries due to forest fires in 2024. He said that the National Action Plan on Forest Fire is implemented in the State to prevent the incidences of forest fires in the State.