Killer mamma bear captured, dies under sedation

SRIKAKULAM: A Few hours after the forest officials captured the bear, that had killed a farmer and severely injured four others at Kidisingi village in Srikakulam district, the wild animal died while being shifted to the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. It has been learnt that the sloth bear had been looking for its missing cubs in the village when it attacked the six people on Monday. 

The post-mortem examination, conducted at the zoo, concluded that the sloth bear, classified as vulnerable, died due to an internal haemorrhage. The bear, a sow aged 10-12,   had killed a septuagenarian, K Kodandarao, on Sunday, and two cows the next morning. It also attacked six people in a cashew orchard in the village, severely injuring four of them. They were shifted to a private hospital in Vizag. The condition of two people is said to be extremely critical. Forest officials said the bear might have sustained injuries when it attacked the cattle.

On Tuesday, locals saw the bear inside a cement shed, that it had completely damaged, in one of the coconut groves in Kidisingi village and informed the forest officials. They rushed to the spot with experts from the zoo and took up an operation, code-named Bhalluka (bear in Telugu), to capture the animal. Forest officials cordoned off the premises in a bid to calm down the animal. The bear was then sedated with a tranquilliser dart around 11.45 am. After it fell unconscious, it was shifted into a cage and then to the zoo. 

Dr Purushottam of Vizag zoo administered the sedative to the bear after consulting senior doctor Srinivasa Rao and another doctor on the phone. The bear, however, died on the way to the zoo.Speaking to TNIE, Chief Conservator of Forests (Vizag), P Ram Mohan said, “We had trapped the bear alive, put it in a cage and shifted it to the Visakhapatnam Zoo. Unfortunately, the bear died while being shifted. It had sustained internal injuries when it attacked the cattle earlier. Therefore, it stayed in one place for a day.” 

IGZP Curator Nandani Salaria said, “The bear was found lying in a shelter, when it was tranquillised this morning. An antidote was also administered, after the sedative was given, as per protocol and under the guidance of local forest officials. The bear did not move while it was tranquillised and even after the antidote was administrated.” 

Stating that the bear was brought to the Visakhapatnam zoo by 5 pm, the curator said, “On arrival at IGZP, the animal was found to be dead. Following this, a post-mortem examination was carried out at the veterinary hospital in the zoo.”The cause of death was ascertained to be internal injuries and bleeding, leading to shock and causing death, Nandani Salaria elaborated.