Stray bear triggers panic

Even after 10 stray bears that entered ranches close to the Western Ghats were caged successfully in the Kadayam Range of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in the past two months, one more bear that invaded the ranches triggers panic among farmers as it hunted down 40 chickens in a poultry unit in the past 48 hours.

According to Range Officer Nellainayagam, a stray bear that entered the ranch of one Rajamani of Peththaanpillaikudiyiruppu near Gadana Dam on Tuesday night, broke the door of the broiler unit in the farm and killed 16 chickens even as the owner was sleeping in an adjacent building, his house. The bear had also feasted on the coconut in the grove. Again, the bear that strayed into the farm killed 24 chickens on Wednesday night.

On complaint from Mr. Rajamani, the forest personnel of Kadayam Range inspected the spot and fitted surveillance cameras in the farm to monitor the movement of the wild animal.

“We’ve initiated the procedure to give compensation to the loss the farmer has suffered,” Mr. Nellainayagam said.

Meanwhile, a stray bear entered the farm of Antony, also from Peththaanpillaikudiyiruppu, on Thursday and he escaped miraculously from being attacked by the wild animal even as it was digging a pit near the hut where Mr. Antony was sleeping.

“We’ve taken all out efforts to monitor the movement of the stray bear. Farmers who used to stay in their farms in the night should create small fire to ward off the invading wild animals,” Mr. Nellainayagam suggested.