In Ballari district of Karnataka, fear and panic have gripped Sultanpur village, after two wild bears broke into the village late at night, leaving villagers in panic as they feared for their safety.
At Sultanpur village in Sandur taluk, it was reported that some bears roamed over the street of the Anjaneya temple. Villagers had filmed videos of the animals wandering on all the village streets using their cell phones, and these videos circulated on social media after filming.
The bears intruded upon the village late at night hunting for food, villagers said, and frictions erupted, especially among women, children and seniors. Many residents said they, at the time, were afraid to go outside for hours after dark because the animals were running up and down this area continuously.
Witnesses said they were terrified as bears appeared to be moving close to houses and settlement areas they were supposed to occupy. Rural residents said they had noticed strange moves and sounds in or near the temple site before colliding with the animals, they reported.
The sudden arrival of the bears again laid bare the escalating human-wildlife conflict in some parts of Karnataka, especially in forested settings. One explanation for the bears entering the village, said local villagers, was a shortage of food in that thick, dense forest, coupled with other human-induced disruptions to the living space.
Rampant deforestation and mining and reduced forest cover could also push wild animals to closer quarters near human settlements, seeking food and water, activists said. Parents in Sultanpur told us they are very concerned about children, especially those who go out in the morning and come back at night.
The village women were also afraid to stay late to do their daily routines. Various citizens were urged to call the forest department and act immediately, either to lock up or transport the animals to avoid further tragedy. More night patrols and tracking of wildlife from the settlement should be conducted so that there aren't attacks.
Bear sightings near villages appear to increase, wildlife experts report, especially in dry seasons when the food sources in the woods run low. Sloth bears have already settled in the forests of Karnataka in villages to obtain fruit, crops, garbage and livestock feed. No casualties have been reported, but the government is apparently instructed to handle it as frightened locals demand immediate action.
There are probably also surveillance teams, by the forest department, over both the bears and the public in the area to keep an eye on their movement, and for the safety of the public. Authorities also issue preventive directives advising villagers not to go in the dark alone and reporting when, at some point in the town, a species of wildlife appears overnight.
It became a viral sensation when videos were posted where bears wandered all alone onto temple roads and village streets without permission to take over village roads, spreading like wildfire, promoting online comments that call upon the authorities for better and more stringent wildlife management, not only with animals but also the community and those concerned.
