An adult female sloth bear, which was found injured by a gunshot in Pavagada, is undergoing treatment at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre, run by Wildlife SOS, a release said.

According to the NGO, on Tuesday the wild sloth bear fell victim to man-animal conflict. “Farmers were shocked to find the injured bear dragging itself along the forest floor and keening in pain. They immediately reached out to the Forest Department, who in turn called for reinforcement from the Wildlife SOS team operating out of Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre,” said a release. Forest officials tended to the bear while a five-member team from Wildlife SOS made it to Pavagada.

A preliminary check-up by the NGO’s veterinarians unearthed a “deep bullet wound” close to the spinal cord of the animal. There were also burn-like marks on the hindlimbs, the release stated. “Authorities surmised that the animal was shot by a panicked farmer after it entered a farm in search of food. The severe wounds could not be treated on site, so the traumatised bear was carefully immobilised and shifted to the Wildlife SOS facility for a closed clinical examination,” the release said.

Suresh H.M., Regional Forest Officer, Pavagada, said, “The villagers informed us that they had found an injured bear near the forest fringe. As the extent of the injuries was quite severe, we contacted Wildlife SOS.”