Cage set up to trap prowling wild bear in Gudalur

The Forest department staff on Saturday night placed a cage to trap a wild bear that attacked a 45-year-old woman in Gudalur.

The victim, Srija (45), hailing from a village in Devarshola, was plucking tea leaves in an estate in the same neighbourhood on Saturday, when the bear emerged from the bushes and charged at her.

Subsequently, the severely injured woman was taken to a private hospital in Kerala. Therefore, a team of Forest department staff led by Gudalur forest ranger Ramakrishnan rushed to the spot of the incident and held enquiries.

As villagers sought to capture the bear, the Forest department staff placed a cage the same night.

“Fruits were placed inside the cage to lure the animal. However, it remained evasive and didn’t visit the cage to feed on the food items that were found intact on Sunday,” said a Forest department staff.

Forest ranger Ramakrishnan said that the bear could have returned back to the forests. “On the day the woman was attacked, a large number of crackers were fired to drive away the animal. Therefore, the bear must have moved into the jungles and hasn’t returned,” Ramakrishnan said.

However, the cage will be left in the same spot for a few more days until the bear finally gets trapped, the forest ranger added.