Sleepless in the Himalayas: How Climate Disruption Is Altering Bear Behaviour in Uttarakhand

Dehradun: An unusual absence of winter rain and snowfall in Uttarakhand has disrupted the natural hibernation cycle of Himalayan bears, leaving both mountain communities and forest authorities on edge.

Bears that normally retreat into caves by November are still active well into winter, cutting their hibernation period by nearly 60 days this year.

This abnormal behaviour has alarmed the Uttarakhand Forest Department, which has begun studying bear dens to understand why the animals have not entered dormancy.

Where Bears Are Most Concentrated in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is home primarily to the Himalayan black bear, with dense populations in forested and high-altitude regions such as Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Almora, and Nainital districts.

These bears depend on cold temperatures, undisturbed caves,s and adequate forest food to sustain a hibernation cycle that typically lasts around 120 days, from November–December to February–March.

This year, however, traditional dens across many of these regions remain empty.

Why Bears Are Not Hibernating

Experts point to multiple overlapping factors. Apart from warmer winters, several bear habitats and caves were destroyed or blocked by debris during the August disaster in the state. In many forest ranges, landslides have rendered dens unusable.

Equally critical is the shortage of natural forest food. With berries, roots, t,s and seasonal vegetation declining, bears are staying active in search of nutrition.

Experts warn that by March, caves will become too warm for hibernation, making it biologically impossible for bears to sleep even if they attempt to do so.

This means that bears this year may lose nearly half of their essential rest period, a development that could significantly alter their behaviour.

Does Lack of Sleep Make Bears More Aggressive?

Wildlife biologists caution that prolonged wakefulness can make bears irritable, stressed, and unpredictable.

While bears do not hunt humans, fatigue combined with hunger increases the chances of defensive attacks, especially during sudden encounters.

Senior scientist Dr Satyakumar from the Wildlife Institute of India explains that climate change is only part of the problem. Human practices have also altered bear behaviour.

“Garbage dumping near forest edges is changing the feeding habits of bears and other wild animals.

Easy access to waste food is conditioning them to human presence, which is extremely dangerous in the long run,” he notes, calling for urgent corrective action.

How Bears Typically Behave Around Humans

Contrary to popular fear, bears in Uttarakhand do not usually attack humans on sight. Most encounters turn violent only when a bear is startled at close range, feels cornered, or is protecting cubs.

In many cases, bears attempt to flee. Attacks are often defensive reactions rather than predatory behaviour.

However, reduced hibernation, food stress, and increased human intrusion into forests are shrinking the margin for safe encounters.

Why Women Are Often at Higher Risk

It is commonly observed that a significant number of bear encounters involve women. The reason is largely socio-economic.

In many hill villages, women venture deeper into forests to collect firewood, food,r and forest produce, increasing the likelihood of sudden encounters.

Yet, the narrative is not one-sided. Uttarakhand’s hills are also filled with stories of extraordinary resilience—women who fought off bears with bare hands, sickle,s or sheer presence of mind, returning home with injuries but alive.

Such incidents underline both the danger and the courage embedded in mountain life.

Preventive Measures by the Forest Department

To minimise human–bear conflict, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has stepped up multiple measures:

• Awareness drives in villages on how to respond during bear encounters
• Clearing garbage dumps near forest fringes to prevent bears from associating humans with food
• Installation of solar fencing and alarm systems in vulnerable villages
• Rapid response teams to track and monitor bear movement
• Advisories discouraging solo forest visits, especially during early morning and dusk hours

Forest officials emphasise that coexistence, not confrontation, is the only sustainable solution.

A Warning from the Wild

The disrupted sleep of Himalayan bears is more than a wildlife concern—it is a warning sign of ecological imbalance.

As climate patterns shift and human footprints deepen into forests, ancient rhythms of nature are being disturbed.

For Uttarakhand’s bears—and its people—the cost of this disruption could be measured not just in lost sleep, but in rising conflict unless urgent, collective action is taken.

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