Nursery BeddingBaby Blankets, Sheets, Pillows and More!

Black bears living in tree hollows

black bears living in tree hollows ….

In childhood adolescence, with subconscious mind, sweet memories especially associated with the wild nature are  so  enchanting and difficult to express in their true form. Once these strange happenings of natural environment flash before human eyes, they get locked up deep in miniature neuro cells in human grey matter,  more powerful than silicon chips in computers. One such event that often splashes before my eyes is the scene in a village setting with people of all ages old and young, men and women, boys and girls gathering to circle the dancing bear show locally called as “haputnach” in Kashmir and getting mesmerized with the lyrical voices from the Gypsy beating the small drum “dugdugi”. In old days, in the absence of electricity and TV, these traditional live shows used to be the main source of recreation to poor but industrious village dwellers at their leisure time following crop harvests. After watching thrilling dancing postures of captivated bear controlled cruelly by pulling a string tied to fleshy and swollen nostrils of the bear, small boys and girls would follow the gypsy whole day in  repeat shows throughout the village.

The only thing school children knew about bear (Kalla Reech or Haput) that time was that they live in the “wun” (dense forest) and gypsies capture their cubs from their dens while their mother is away in search of food or chasing them during night when they would damage terraced corn fields along mountain slopes. Gypsies (Kallanders) would then train these cubs and straighten them up to perform in these village shows so common during 1950s. The bear dancing used to be a source of livelihood to many such Gypsy families. Most of the bear dancing events were organized after crop harvests when the villagers had enough grains (paddy and maize) to pay in kind to the Gypsy with the bear locally called “Haputwalla”. Sometimes a monkey would also be part of the bear dance. On seeing black bear, dogs in the mohalla   would get frightened, bark a little and then disappear for a while till the bear is away. Most of the show-watchers being ignorant about gypsies and using wild beasts as a source of livelihood did not get into deep thinking beyond the recreational aspect of the game.

The stories of the deadly encounters of people with wild bears also used to be common folklores in mountain villages. In my native village “Quilmuqam” I still remember fellow villager ” Jabbar sheikh” a middle-aged tall person who while cutting grasses from a pasture  was attacked by a black bear with sharp claws chiseling flesh from his cheekbone and other body parts. The villager sensing danger to his life rolled down the hillslope over a kilometer and got stuck up by a big boulder. His painful shrieks due to bleeding wounds caught the attention of some nearby herders who came to his rescue. When these herders took the semi-conscious body of Jabbar Sheikh to his village, people were horrified to see him with such a badly mutilated face with blood drops still oozing out of the injuries inflicted by the bear. It took him more than six months to recover from this deadly encounter with a  savage bear. The scars of the bear claws were visible from his face and small boys would get frightened seeing him in the village.

At times the news of sighting a  bear during winter in foothill villages  in search of food during heavy snowfall would spread very fast and young kids would  get locked within four walls of the room. The fear of attack by a wild bear would make the people panicky especially women while working in agriculture fields away from their homes. One such incident still fresh in my mind is that a word spread in the school that a stray bear cub has been sighted close to the village and some people have started chasing him with sticks and rods to kill him. Full of energy and vigor the poor cub survived many attacks but the people ultimately forced him to retreat towards a marsh/wetland in the periphery of Wular Lake. When the cub got trapped in mud and could not make any movement the people were too cruel to kill him with freshly cut sticks from willow and poplar trees, two dominating tree species in rural landscape in Kashmir. I remember the pride and jubilation of the crowd who after killing this stray cub returned to the village. No single person had the human heart and soul to express sorrow for the cruelty with which this living creature often dreaded as wild beast met its fate at the hands of human beings whom God has made “Ashraful makhluqat” or the best of all creations on planet earth. Infact spending half a day in driving the wild cub towards a swamp and then killing him was something which everyone was proud of that time. As a boy, I too felt happy over the killing of the wild bear at that time without any feeling of condemnation that bears are a  part of our living environment.

At a very later stage in my life when I entered into my professional career, the realization of saving these wild creatures came in my subconscious mind. My first encounter with black bears came in 1977 when as a forester in AJK Forest Department, I was assigned to carry out silvicultural marking in old growth forests in Neelum Valley. At that time many compartments both on right and left side of the Neelum river used to be virgin forests with no human disturbance. In fact some forest areas were so inaccessible that it was only by putting a huge freshly cut deodar tree across the nullah that we could reach the forest planned for marking. There were no paths or tracks to traverse through the virgin temperate forests with overmature Deodar, Kail and Fir trees. More than 50 years back, an observation made by S.A. Vahid, then Chief Conservator Forests in his tour note about his visit to upper Neelum valley when jeep/mule tracks were so treacherous is quite revealing about the undisturbed nature of forests in Neelum Valley. He wrote that ” at places there is an inch of difference between life and death.”

In October, 1977 while conducting marking of trees for commercial harvesting in old growth forests in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir  with a field crew of 10-15 in a mixed moist temperate forest, I saw two black bears emerging out of the hollow of a big fir tree trunk in a dense old growth forest.  Perhaps the bears feeling the size of the field crew did not attack us but moved fast and disappeared in the dense forest. The scene was frightening but marvelous as I had never thought that bears shelter inside hollow tree trunks. The huge girth of the deodar, fir and spruce trees in Neelum Valley forests too was unbelievable. The notion of saving some old trees as a natural shelter for wildlife like bears did not strike in the mind, nor did I ever know before that tree trunks can be abode of such big and ferocious wild animals. 

After returning from Neelum valley, as a casual reader of Time &  Newsweek magazine an interesting article on “White spotted owl” captured my attention. In the article it was revealed that the  commercial harvesting of old growth forests in North-West forests near Seatle in Washington State, destroyed the habitat of white spotted owl living inside the old growth forests thus making them a threatened species. Until cutting of these forests, no one had imagined that white spotted owl species are associated with old growth trees and forests. This helped me to draw a parallel conclusion that old growth forests in Neelum Valley, AJK are not only precious for their invaluable timber stocks but more important as a habitat for many wildlife species. Now lately these temperate forests have assumed significance for acting as a natural carbon sink mitigating the impacts of global climate change. It is time to think about trees and forests beyond the realm of timber and firewood…….their environmental services transcend human understanding, knowledge and vision.    

About the Author

Dr. Bashir Ahmed Wani

Pakistan

Boy & Bear – Rabbit Song

2007 STARBUCKS VALENTINE GIRL + BOY BEARISTA BEAR $19.97

Pair (2) Winter Campout Patches Boy Scouts of America White Polar Bear NEW $1.25

NWT Baby Gap Boys Favorite Bear Hoodie $19.99

NWT Baby Gap Boys Favorite Bear Hoodie $19.99

Dancing boy & girl keyChains Teddy keyring Bear keyfob lover gift KC008 $2.99

sizzix new in package bigz build a bear party boy head with hat $7.99

KIDS PREFERRED 2006 LOVEY PASTEL BLUE SO SOFT TEDDY BEAR PLUSH BABY BOY $5.99

NWT Gymboree Boys Alaskan Adventure Polar Bear Pullover Fleece Sweater Top 3-6 $6.99

CHERISHED TEDDIES # 103551 SENT WITH LOVE BOY BEAR CUPID FIGURINE $3.99

THREE (3) BEAUTIFUL SNOWDOMES-BOY-GIRL-SANTA BEAR IN VERY GOOD CONDITION- $5.00

SW345 Boy & Girl Little Bear Wear Cheongsam Keychains $3.99

BOYS IN JERSEY Auto Decal Gr8 for CHICAGO BEARS BRIGGS PEPPERS URLACHER FANS $2.99

LITTLE BOY HUGS STEIFF TEDDY BEAR VICTORIAN PORCH PHOTO $4.99

1917 LITTLE BOY HUGS STEIFF TEDDY BEAR-SILHOUETTE PHOTO $8.99

JERSEY BOY Auto Decal Gr8 4 JAY CUTLER BEARS FANS $2.99

PEDAL CAR-BOY AND TEDDY BEAR CHRISTMAS TREE SANTA PHOTO $8.99

BABY BOY NEW BLUE HAND PAINTED AUTHENTIC FRENCH LIMOGES BOX W/ CUTE TEDDY BEAR $70.99

Boys size 24 months blue jacket Chicago Bears hooded coat NFL orange football $7.00

Boys / Girls Black + Red Chicago BEARS Crocs Size 12 / 13 (Fits 7 yr old) $9.98

Bear’s Boys by M. B. Roberts and ELI GOLD (2007, Hardcover) $3.00

L@@K Adorable LOT OF 7++ baby boy sleepers size 0 – 3 months bears pooh puppies $3.99

Bath Set Boy paper piecing pattern scrapbook bear bears tubby patterns boys $4.25

All Boy paper piecing pattern pdf patterns boys kids sports scrapbook Bear bears $4.00

Birthday Boy Bear 2 page12 X 12 layout kit Scrapbook paper piecings premade Kids $11.99

Bear Hugs Boy Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art Bears $4.00

Lickin Good Summer Paper Piecing Pattern scrapbook printed bear boy girl $4.00

Boys & Toys paper piecing pattern Bear boy trucks scrapbook patterns Bears $4.00

Beary Cute Boy Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art Bear $4.00

Bear Hugs Boy paper piecing pattern boys bears scrapbook patterns $3.75

Up & Away Bear paper piecing pattern scrapbook bears boys kite kids patterns $4.00

Birthday Boy paper piecing pattern bear bears scrapbook boys kids patterns $3.50

Baby Boy Bear paper piecing pattern patterns scrapbook babies boys $3.00

Boys and Toys Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art Bear $4.00

Baby Boy Bear Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art babies $4.00

New NWT Le Top Baby Boys Winter Hat Cap Blue Teddy Bear Velour 0-6 months $9.49

New NWT FAO Schwarz Cream Bear Blankie Buddy Security Blanket Lovey Boy Girl $14.25

Beary Cute Boy paper piecing pattern scrapbook bear boys bears patterns $3.00

Bath Set Boy Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art Bear $4.00

Bear Hugs Boy 2 page12 X 12 layout kit Scrapbook paper piecings premade Baby $11.99

Baby Boy Bear 2 page12 X 12 layout kit Scrapbook paper piecings premade boys $11.99

4th of July paper piecing pattern bear stars kids boy girl scrapbook $3.50

All Boy 2 Page 12 X 12 Page Kit Layout Scrapbook Paper Piecing Bear Sports kids $11.99

Birthday Boy Bear Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art $4.00

Halloween Bears paper piecing pattern patterns scrapbook bear boy girl kids $4.00

Valentines Day Bear paper piecing pattern scrapbook bears boy girl patterns $3.50

Coffee Mug Cup Its A Boy Teddy Bear Art Print Ceramic 15oz $15.00

Momma Bear Dressing Baby Boy Bear Decoration $60.00

2012 Bear Apprentice 2 RTH BOW 20-60 LBS Camo RH Boys Youth Bow $249.99

BOYS IN JERSEY Auto Decal Gr8 for CHICAGO BEARS JAY CUTLER HESTER FORTE KNOX FAN $2.99

*Starbucks Coffee Bearista Bear Boy w Rose ~NWOT 2006 Collectible 45th edition $9.50

Special Delivery Boy Prints Print & Cut scrapbook premade clip art baby bear $4.00

Beary Cute Boy Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art Bear $4.00

St Patricks Day Paper piecing pattern scrapbook bear bears boy girl patterns $4.00

Baby Boy Bear Prints Print & Cut embellishment scrapbook premade clip art babies $4.00

Gund Blue Teddy Bear Baby Boy Plush Toy Mini Embroidered Soft Plushie $24.77

2P~New/NWT~CARTERS~ SECURITY BLANKET ~ Sports~BASEBALL~FOOTBALL~FATHERS DAY~BOYS $34.00

It’s A Boy Bear 28″ Sing-A-Tune Mylar Foil Balloon $12.22

GAP Blue, OLD NAVY Or Teddy’s Choice Toddler Boys Canvas Sneakers Shoes “EUC” $7.95

More than Words Precious Baby Boy Blue w Bear Figurine UK NIB $21.99

♥1999 Cherished Teddies BABY BOOTIE BOOTY STILL BANK w/LOCKET NIB Boy Teddy Bear $9.99

BOYDS PLUSH BOY & GIRL WINTER BEARS NATASHA & CHANDLER CRYSTALFROST MWT RETIRED $39.95

BABY GAP Boys Navy Polo Bear Logo SHIRT Sz 3 $2.99

2007 STARBUCKS VALENTINE GIRL + BOY BEARISTA BEAR $19.97

Artist, Handmade Needle Felted Toy, Brooch “Bear Boy” $10.00

Gymboree boys lot 6-12 Baby bear shirt and matching shorts $0.99

BUILD-A-BEAR lot of 2 BEARS girl & boy dressed! BABW $22.00

Stampin up NEW build a bear “Beary Boy ” sizzlet free ship sizzix baseball hat $9.95

fhl010c nice cartoon cute bear dial QUARTZ child girl boy lady gift WATCH $4.99

CHERISHED TEDDIES “PETER” BOY BEAR WITH BUNNY EARS FIGURINE B-53 $25.00

8” Plush Baby Boy Blue Soft Pampers Ad Koala Bear TOY $4.12

Precious Moments Peel And Stick Wallpaper Border 15′ Boy Angel Heaven Cloud Bear $15.29

RUSS Baby Boy Rattle White & Blue Teddy Bear/Gift Sm/Md $21.69

ceramic BEAR! White boy Bear holding Roses, I love you heart, & Black Top Hat $6.00

Teddy Bear Boy In Green Shorts Custom Italian Charm $1.80

Teddy Bear Snow Boy Close Up Custom Italian Charm $1.80