Kashmir Engineer Launches Wildlife Alert System

After losing his mother in a bear attack, Kashmiri software engineer Mudasir Ali created Wildping, a free website where residents report wildlife sightings and receive alerts for nearby bears and leopards. Users can set watch zones around places such as homes, farms, schools, and walking routes; the warnings are intended to give people time to take precautions, not eliminate attacks. The system responds to rising human-wildlife encounters across the Himalayas, linked in part to shrinking habitats and deforestation, while conflict-related fencing and military deployments in Kashmir may also disrupt animal movement. Official data cited in the reports show that wildlife attacks in the territory have killed at least 50 people and mauled hundreds since 2023.