Forest Department staff rescued a bear that fell into a farm well at Kanganankulam near Cheranmahadevi on Thursday.
On noticing the bear swimming in the well in the farm owned by former Cheranmahadevi MLA P. Veldurai in the morning, the watchman alerted the forest personnel at Kalakkad.
Deputy Director of Kalakkad Division of Kalakkad– Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve K. Muruganantham deputed a team of staff, led by Forest Ranger Ramasamy, to the spot to rescue the wild animal.
A veterinarian and Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Cheranmahadevi too arrived at the spot.
After an hour-long battle, the forest personnel rescued the three-year-old bear from the well with the help of a fishnet. On reaching the surface of the well, the bear jumped off the net and ran into the forest.
For food and water
As the southwest monsoon, which ensures good rainfall along the Western Ghats between June and mid-September every year, has failed to meet the expectation this time, wild animals have started invading nearby farms in search of food and water.
When a bear strayed into a plantain farm near Kalakkad recently, it was successfully caged and released into the forest.
Another bear, spotted near Moolaikkaraipatti, could not be traced despite intense hunt launched by the forest personnel.
