Scientists Probe Origin Of Kashmir's Resurfaced Wild Boars

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Scientists in Kashmir have launched a genetic study to determine the origin and population history of wild boars that have resurfaced in different parts of the Kashmir Valley.

Head of the Division of Wildlife Sciences at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Professor Khursheed Ahmed, said a sample of the animal has already been collected and genetic analysis will be conducted to establish its relationship with wild boar populations in Jammu and other parts of mainland India.

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“We want to prove genetically whether their relatedness is with the main population, which is the population of Jammu or the mainland of India, or whether their relatedness is with populations on the other side of Kashmir, beyond the Line of Control,” Khursheed said.

The study comes amid growing concerns over the increasing presence of wild boars in the Valley, with farmers in several areas reporting extensive damage to agricultural and vegetable fields.

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Wild boar is not considered native to Kashmir and was declared locally extinct in the region during the 1980s. According to Khursheed, the species was introduced in Kashmir during the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh, particularly in forest areas around Dachigam National Park and adjoining regions for hunting purposes.

The species resurfaced in 2013, when three wild boars were reported in Dachigam, nearly three decades after the animal was last sighted in the region in 1984.

The ongoing study will initially examine the genetic relationship of Kashmir's wild boars with populations in Jammu before assessing the population genetics of the species across the Valley.

“We are going to see the population genetics, whether the populations in the north and south, as well as those in between, are mixing or remain separate,” Khursheed said.

The research could determine whether wild boars found across different parts of Kashmir belong to a single interconnected population or constitute distinct populations. It could also provide insights into gene flow, movement patterns and the expansion of the species across the Valley.

Khursheed said SKUAST-K recently initiated the study and the genetic investigation is expected to take around five to six months.

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The university is also planning a population census to determine the number of wild boars currently present in Kashmir, as their exact population remains unknown.

Reports of wild boar intrusions have emerged from several parts of the Valley. In one such instance, widespread incidents were reported from Ajas in Bandipora district, following which the district administration consulted the wildlife department at SKUAST-K.

Experts informed the administration that the species was not native to the region and could potentially be declared“vermin” under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, which would allow measures to control or eliminate the population.

However, Khursheed said a scientific assessment of the population was necessary before any such measures could be considered.

“If range expansion has happened, how it has happened and what are the factors responsible for this expansion, we have to study that also,” he said.

He said wild boar is a fast-breeding species, with females capable of producing large litters. Camera-trap images have recorded as many as 14 young ones with a female, highlighting the species' potential to expand rapidly.

Experts have also suggested that rising temperatures could be among the factors facilitating the resurgence of wild boars in Kashmir. The species may previously have struggled to sustain itself under the region's traditionally colder climatic conditions.

The genetic study is expected to provide scientific evidence on the origin, genetic connectivity and expansion of the wild boar population in Kashmir and help authorities assess its potential ecological and agricultural impact.

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