MAN VERSUS BEAR

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Deccan Herald » Spectrum » Detailed Story

Tuesday, August 16,

It’s man versus bear

 

Bears are by nature shy creatures but the poaching of bear cubs from the Dharwad

forest circle has made these animals dangerous to human beings, writes SHYAM

SUNDAR VATTAM.

 

 

 

Sighting a bear is considered a good omen in villages. But in a few villages in

the Dharwad forest circle, the word ‘bear’ sends a chill down the spines of

villagers residing adjacent to the sprawling 2,000 acres of thick forest cover.

Not a year passes without a couple of attacks on those who accidentally or

intentionally venture into the forests for some reason or the other.

 

Serious attacks

 

Some villagers have experienced serious bear attacks, leaving deep injury marks

on them, both physical and mental. As the saying goes - once bitten twice shy -

the survivors of the attack think twice before entering the forests now.

 

 

It is quite pertinent to note that usually such attacks take place only during

the breeding season between April and June. Unlike other carnivores, bears never

enter villages in search of food but stay inside forests, feeding on termites,

ants, jackfruit and other fruits available. Although the Forest Department has,

so far, not conducted an actual survey of the bear population in this region, it

is widely believed that there was a sizeable population of bears in the area.

 

Whenever a bear perceives a threat to its life, it tends to attack human beings

and vanishes into the deep woods the very next moment. The forest department has

given compensation to those who were attacked by bears. The attacks seem to be

increasing in the last three years, indicating a fair increase in the bear

population in the area. Already, two attacks have been reported in the last one

month.

 

Bears abound

 

Bears are found in large numbers in Artal, Jodalgatti and Konnur in Dundasi

Reserve Forest of Haveri district, which comes under the Dharwad Forest Circle.

A large number of hamlets are situated adjacent to this forest area.

 

There are hillocks inside the forests which serve as abodes for the bears. The

history of the region clearly shows that bears have never killed any person so

far, but have caused grievous injuries just by self-defence.

 

Bear habits

 

The bears feed on fruits available in the forests and depend on small water

holes. They go into deep forests during the summer season when forests and water

holes go dry. The forest is about 4 km away from Tadas on the Pune-Bangalore

National Highway.

 

There are quite a number of hillocks in that area which attracts bears. The

villagers, instead of using normal roads, try to reach neighbouring villages

through the forest route and therefore come across many bears. In fact, bears

are very shy by nature and don’t usually attack human beings.

 

Human interference

 

It is very difficult to understand the motives of those who venture into these

forests. Some people are innocent and take the forest route without

understanding the behaviour of the bears. While a few poachers enter the forests

with the motive of separating cubs from their mother and selling it to

prospective buyers. Such incidents mostly take place in early mornings when the

mother bear goes out in search of food. The bears are native and have been

living there for many years. The bears are sensitive animals and do not like

human intervention into their territory.

 

Apart from the Dundasi Reserve Forests, there are a sizeable number of bears in

Davangere and Gokak in Belgaum district and in Hospet and Sandur area, because

of which the Daroji Bear Sanctuary has been created.

 

Safety from attacks

 

Although the villagers are not against the presence of bears in their areas,

what they want is safety. Their agricultural land is situated on the fringes of

the forests and they had to make several trips to the fields to protect the

standing crops.

 

On one occasion, they had to spend a whole night trying to protect their crops

from other wild animals. “We cannot blame the bears also because of their

instinctive behaviour. They pounce on us mostly in early mornings while we are

returning from the fields or going to neighbouring villages. We will be totally

unprepared for the attack. There will even be nobody to help us during that

time”

 

What the officials say

 

Mr Sanjay Bijjur, Divisional Forest Officer, Dharwad Circle said that a project

is being prepared for habitat improvement of bears in Konnur, Artal and

Jodalgatti area in Dundasari Reserve Forest.

 

He points out that there are 8-10 big hillocks spread over 2,000 acres which are

ideal for the improvement of bear population. Plans are afoot to fence 2,000

acres of forest land, provide small water holes and plant fruit bearing trees to

encourage breeding.

 

Plan for bear sanctuary

 

Of late, a lot of stress is given on improvement of habitat outside wildlife

areas to avoid man-animal confrontation. A proposal will be submitted to the

Conservator of Forests and will be forwarded to the Principal Chief Conservator

of Forests.

 

Then it will be decided whether the project requires state or central government

permission. There are no plans to make an animal safari on the lines of Daroji

Bear Sanctuary in Bellary district and it is purely aimed at habitat

improvement.

 

No census

 

Mr Bijjur also pointed out that so far, the wildlife wing had not taken up a

survey of the bear population to know its exact number in that particular area.

The proposed project also includes undertaking a census of bears in due

consultation with experts to know about the methodology involved.

 

Once the project is approved, the department will create awareness among local

villagers and explain to them the need for habitat improvement. The bears will

not come near villages if they get sufficient food inside the deep jungle. After

fencing the whole area, there will be no bears coming out of the jungle and thus

causing problems to human beings. The design of the waterhole, which helps in

improvement of other animals living in the forests, is also being worked on. The

department will put a watch to check the entry of poachers inside forests.

 

EASY TARGETS

 

A few months ago, the Hubli Police busted a gang of people who were allegedly

involved in selling bear cubs in Dharwad district. The gang used to operate in

forests by stealing cubs from its mother in deep jungles.

 

On several occasions, they have killed the mother bear if it tries to protect

its cubs. The bears are very attached to their cubs and do not allow anybody to

go near them, let alone touch them. The police arrested the gang red-handed when

it was lodged in a hotel room waiting for a prospective buyer. They seized from

them 4-5 young ones dumped in two or three gunny bags. At first look, the bear

cubs look similar to piglets, but they were identified from their palms. Now,

the gangsters are cooling their heels behind bars. The rescued bear cubs were

sent to the bear park near Agra.

 

The forest officers say that the bear cubs are always sleeping and they do not

cry or scream if the poachers separate them from its mother. The miscreants

steal the cubs early in the morning when its mother goes in search of food. They

put the cubs in gunny bags and take them away on bicycles. It is very difficult

for the forest guards to catch them.