The Nilgiris: Recently, a sloth bear that was proving to be a menace in the residential areas of Kotagiri in the Nilgiris district, was finally entrapped by the Forest Department on Sunday.
The Nilgiris: Recently, a sloth bear that was proving to be a menace in the residential areas of Kotagiri in the Nilgiris district, was finally entrapped by the Forest Department on Sunday.
Over 180 families at Sunshine Nagar, in Kaikaati near Kotagiri have been living in constant fear for the past six months of being attacked by a bear which had forayed into their residential area with its cub. The bear had broken the door of a bakery and made the bakery its regular haunt for food, causing panic among the residents.
Thereafter, forest officials had trapped the bear and chased it away back into the forest regions. However, in March 2019, a sleuth of bears reportedly entered the Mariamman temple in Kakulla and destroyed the temple items. Upon the request of the villagers, a cage was again set to trap the bears but only one bear was entrapped which was later released in the forest.
Meanwhile, on August 22, 2019, yet again a sloth bear had entered the residential area of Sunshine Nagar with its cub and had again damaged the doors of the temple in the area. The continuing menace of the bears caused residents in the area to demand for a permanent solution which led them to warn the Forest Department that they would stage protests soon, if quick actions are not initiated.
Following this, four days ago, the forest officials set up a cage in Sunshine Nagar with fruits to lure the bear. The cage was constantly monitored by the officials. At 4 am on Sunday, the bear was reportedly trapped in the cage and residents informed the Forest Department.
Kotagiri Forest Ranger, Srinivasan, Forester Sakthivel, Forest Guards Murugan, Veeramani and Anti poaching guards arrived at the spot and shifted the bear along with the cage in the forest vehicle and transported the bear to the Longwood Shola in Kotagiri.
Later, the entrapped bear was released into the Upper Bhavani forest area.
"The bear that was trapped in Kaikaati in March was a female bear. The one that we trapped now is a male bear. This bear has been wandering around Sunshine Nagar and also encircling the Milidhane and Mission Compound areas", said, Srinivasan, Kotagiri Forest Ranger.
With the capture of this bear, the officer ensured the public to feel safe and not to panic anymore.