Foresters shoot dead bear after attack on woman

Sikkim/Gangtok, Aug. 19: An adult Himalayan black bear was shot dead by foresters in East Sikkim after it attacked a 65-year-old woman near a maize field this morning.

The foresters killed the Himalayan black — endangered species that falls under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act — after a three-hour-long operation to tranquillise the animal failed because of the difficult terrain where it was found.

The incident occurred in Tangsing village under the Sumik Linzey gram panchayat, about 50km from Gangtok.

Mani Tamang was admitted to STNM Hospital in Gangtok with serious injuries.

The woman was cutting grass for cattle near a maize field around 11.30am when the female bear, apparently hiding among the stalks, sprang out and attacked her. She suffered deep injuries on the left side of the face and other parts of the body. The woman somehow managed to wrestle free from the bear’s clutches.

As bear and monkeys had been frequently intruding into Tangsing and the nearby villages, 20 forest personnel had already been deployed in the area in search of the animals. They were equipped with tranquilliser guns, a cage and other weapons.

“The guards made all efforts to tranquillise the female bear. As the animal posed an immediate threat to the humans, the foresters decided to kill it under the relevant provision of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972,” said Gut Lepcha, the conservator of forests (wildlife).

The Himalayan black bear is an endangered species and falls under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act. If the animal is deemed to be highly dangerous to human lives, forest guards can shoot it down with the permission of the state chief wildlife warden.

“I was told by my staff that the bear had become too dangerous and it was extremely difficult to tame it with tranquillisers considering the difficult terrain of the area. I gave the order to shoot it down,” said Sikkim chief wildlife warden N. T. Bhutia over phone from New Delhi.

The bear was killed by the wildlife personnel around 3pm at Samdong Golai near the Tangsing. The carcass was cremated in the village in the presence of local people and the foresters.

Tamang was brought to the hospital by her neighbours around 2.30pm. She has been admitted to the operation theatre in the emergency ward for treatment and doctors said her condition was serious. The forest department released Rs 5,000 as an immediate relief to the woman.

The villagers, who had accompanied Tamang to the hospital, said they had been complaining to the forest department about bears and monkey menace for many months.

“We know the importance of wildlife. But the regular intrusions of bears and monkeys into our villages have been troubling us. Our maize and vegetables are eaten or destroyed by the wild animals. We had taken up the matter with the forest department several times in the past,” said a villager.

The villages where bear transgressions have taken place fall close to Fambonglho wildlife sanctuary. “One bear was shot dead today. But considering the extent of damage to the maize fields, we fear at least three more bears are stalking the area. The bears have developed a fondness for maize and as a result, they are entering straight into the fields. We will spare no effort to tranquillise and put them in cages for release in protected forest areas,” said Lepcha

The residents of Tangsing said everyone in the area was scared because of the bears.

“Children are afraid to go to schools, while adults are not ready to venture out in the fields,” said Sumik Linzey panchayat member T.N. Sapkota.

A 36-year-old farmer in Sumik Linzey had lost one eye in an attack by a bear in August last year. There were several reports of bear transgressions in human habitats last year. But the number of such incidents was less last year compared to 2009.

“At least 70 incidents of bears straying into human habitation were reported between September and December in 2009. Some of these turned into man-animal conflicts and one bear was shot dead,” said a forester.

On November 3, 2009, three senior forest officers, including a joint director, were mauled by a bear while they were trying to dart the animal at Sichey near Gangtok.

-TT