The idea that bears hibernate throughout winter is increasingly becoming a myth, as climate change brings warmer winters, delayed autumns, and earlier springs, disrupting food availability and natural biological rhythms in wildlife.
Climate change is not only affecting humans but is also significantly altering the behaviour of animals, especially bears. In Kashmir, nearly 50 bears have been captured in towns and cities since November, as the delayed snowfall has kept Himalayan black bears awake. Wildlife officials say they receive between 20 and 25 calls every day about wild animals and birds wandering into human settlements. Official data from 2023-24 and 2024-25 shows that man-animal conflicts have resulted in 32 deaths and 269 injuries over two years, with most encounters involving bears and leopards occurring during daylight in late autumn or winter.
Fida Hussain, Range Officer, Wildlife Protection, explained, “The big issue is weather. If timely snow had happened, the black bear would have gone into hibernation. The second thing is waste material, which we keep on the roads. Because hibernation has not happened, it’s getting delayed. For that, he needs food and shelter. Food he (bear) gets from dustbins, which attracts him to towns, and conflict happens. You must have seen the black bear that was in Srinagar. The reason for that was that he was getting food and shelter. We have made control rooms for calls, around 20-30 calls we get daily, not only for black bear but for other animals and birds. Maximum conflict is seen with bears and leopards.”
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Recent studies show bears are changing their hibernation patterns; some are not hibernating at all, some remain awake through the winter, and others are waking far too early as winters become warmer. Minimum winter temperatures have risen by roughly one degree Celsius. Higher temperatures have also contributed to wild food shortages, reducing the natural resources bears rely on before entering hibernation.
Researchers previously observed that good snowfall provided the moisture needed for bumper crops of pine nuts and other wild fruits that sustained wildlife throughout the year. Now, reduced or absent snowfall has left forests depleted, offering far fewer natural food sources. Experts note that a bear needs around 20,000 calories per day to build the fat reserves necessary for hibernation, burning up to 4,000 calories a day while dormant. Without enough food, bears remain hungry, active, and aggressive during the winter months. Climate change has disrupted this cycle entirely.
Biodiversity and wildlife expert Professor Sajad Gangoo explained, “The bear goes into hibernation during winter because snow hasn’t happened, but before hibernation, it needs lots of food so that it can sustain during winter. If he does not get food, he will keep searching. Earlier, there used to be a lot of food in our forests; he used to take that, but he gets very little now as forests are shrinking. Wild plants we had, wild walnut in forests, he used to take that, but those are also sold. Besides, there were many foods which have vanished. People also this year put rotten apples in canals, and he smells them and comes down for food.
“Wildlife includes animals as well as plants. It affects (climate change) a lot. You’ve seen plants have flowers and leaves before seasons. It’s a worldwide issue; we should think worldwide and act locally. We should cultivate plants, mostly oak trees and other fruits, so that bears and other animals have sufficient food and don’t come down.”
The wildlife department has begun awareness campaigns across Kashmir, urging people not to dump waste in the open, as it attracts bears into residential areas.
Remaining active in cold conditions without adequate, high-calorie food reserves poses serious health risks to bears, increasing the likelihood of starvation, malnutrition, illness, and disruption of reproductive cycles.
Wildlife experts view this as a critical warning sign of how rapidly climate change is altering animal behaviour and ecosystems. They stress the need for urgent conservation action and improved waste management to reduce conflict and protect the species. Without immediate intervention, they warn that Kashmir may have to learn to coexist with wild animals far more closely than before.
