As many as 40 sloth bears have been moving in the shelter bed zone of Uddanam region, according to District Forest Officer Ch.Santhi Swaroop. Some of them have reportedly come from nearby Chhattisgarh and Odisha forests.
The bears are currently moving in an area of 1,200 hectares and the shelter bed zone, located between the sea coast and the Uddanam water bodies, has turned into a safe haven for them with availability of abundant food, he said.
Generally, bears eat berries, leaves, nuts, fish and rodents. They can be up to eight feet tall and their long claws enable them to climb trees easily. They can move up to 35 miles per hour and have a good sense of smell. The bears are currently moving in Kaviti, Kanchili, Mandasa, Vajrapukotturu, Santakaviti, Sarubujjili and other areas.
As many as 20 incidents of attacks on humans have been recorded in the last 10 years. For the first time, a bear killed two persons and injured five others of Sompeta and Mandasa mandals on Sunday, shocking the villagers as well as officials.
The presence of bears has not been taken seriously all these years as there have been no fatal attacks on humans. “We have identified that the bear that killed two persons was infected by rabies. This was revealed in the autopsy conducted by veterinary doctors. The bear might have eaten the carcass of a rabid dog. It had become mad and attacked humans, causing havoc in Yerramukkam, Pitali and other areas,” Mr.Swaroop told The Hindu .
“We are trying to tranquillise identified bears. But sending all of them to a rescue centre is a Herculean task. That is why, we requested people not to move in the shelter bed area to avoid attacks by animals,” he added.
People cautioned
According to him, a few villagers have grown cashew and other crops in the forest area. “The department has warned of stern action against people who try to enter the forest area under the guise of growing trees and collecting fruits. Local forest range officers have been asked to be vigilant hereafter to prevent such unauthorised entry into the shelter bed area, he said.
Meanwhile, the officials are contemplating a study over the presence of bears, in association with a non-governmental organisation involved in wildlife research.
