Sloth bears attack 4 anti-poaching watchers in MTR, three injured

COIMBATORE: Three anti-poaching watchers (APW) were injured in a sloth bear attack in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in The Nilgiris on Wednesday.

Four field staff, Maari, Madhan, Madesh and Kaalan were on their routine patrol at Morgan Betta in Masinagudi forest range around evening, when they noticed two adult sloth bears.

Suddenly, one of the bears pounced on Maari and attacked him aggressively. “It bit him on his head. He also suffered severe bleeding injuries to his face. Shocked over the unexpected attack, Madhan and Madesh tried to rescue their colleague, but they too ended up with injuries all over the body,” said an official of the Forest Department. However, Kaalan escaped without injuries as he took to his heels.

On receiving information, a team rushed to the spot and rushed the trio to Ooty Government Hospital (GH) for treatment. Maari, who suffered serious injuries, was shifted to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for further treatment. All the three tribal youth were serving the Forest Department for a long time and Maari, who has vast experience in the forest area, has been working as an APW for the last eight years.

In another wildlife related incident, a goat, owned by Perumal (60), was found mauled to death by an unknown animal, near Bhavanisagar in Erode on Wednesday night. The Forest Department has been examining the pug marks to identify the carnivore.