February 23
03:29
2016
A double row of fence and tangled concertina wire curves like a Frankenstein stitch across the Kashmir frontier, blocking anything that might try to cross one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints — including, environmentalists say, migrating wildlife. Built in 2007 by India, the impenetrable barrier scarring hundreds of kilometres of snowy forests has obstructed militants from neighbouring Pakistan for years, but it has also halted the movement of some spectacular and rare species formerly abundant in the area, wildlife officials have told AFP. Creatures such as black bears and leopards, fenced in on the Pakistani side, are being driven by hunger into nearby settlements, often with fatal consequences.