Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Sep 10: Swiss environmentalist Claude Fischer on his maiden visit to Kashmir, has stressed the need for creating safe habitats and corridors to ensure wildlife survives alongside growing urbanisation.
Speaking to reporters during the inauguration of the 2nd International Conference on Hangul and other threatened ungulates at SKUAST Srinagar, Fischer said species like the Hangul, Kashmir’s endangered red deer, face threats due to shrinking spaces and increasing human presence in natural areas.
“It is crucial to secure habitats and corridors for wildlife to thrive alongside humans. With rapid urbanisation, safeguarding species such as the Hangul and red deer demands greater awareness, effective management, and a balanced coexistence between people and nature,” Fischer said.
Asked about Hangul’s declining numbers in Kashmir, the environmentalist admitted he recently learned about the subspecies but stressed that sustaining wildlife populations requires space, genetic flow, and connectivity between different groups. “It is really important that animals have corridors to move, interact and adapt to changing conditions,” he added.
Drawing parallels with Switzerland, Fischer said poaching there is controlled through strong ranger presence and community sensitisation. “We make people aware of how animals live so that they are not seen as a threat but as a species that must be protected,” he said.
The Swiss environmentalist also highlighted road expansion and valley-crossing routes as potential threats to Kashmir’s fragile wildlife corridors. “Roads often cut through habitats, disturbing animal movement. This is something that needs to be addressed carefully,” he said.
Fischer said he has not yet planned visits to Kashmir’s protected areas but expressed interest in exploring the region’s unique biodiversity. “It is a beautiful landscape, but urbanisation and road development may be the biggest challenge for wildlife here,” he added. (KNO)
