BENGALURU: From Kadur scrublands to Kamlapur, an old sloth bear hiding for many days inside a farmhouse, finally found refuge in its last days. The female bear was rescued from Kadur range in Chikkamagaluru district and sent to Kamlapur zoo recently. The bear which was pretty hungry happily gobbled up on more than 50 watermelons and other fruits.
In the first week of January, this 18-year-old bear which strayed from Kadur range in search of easy food as it had lost all its teeth, happily came and settled down in the farmhouse owned by Biramma, a coconut farmer. The bear was old and injured and was in no condition either to hunt for food or be sent back to the forests.
The rescue operations were mounted without tranquillizing the bear. With forest officials being informed, a team comprising Kadur RFO Tanuj Kumar, veterinarian Dr Pruthvi and others carried out the operation under the guidance of Chikkamagaluru territorial DCF N H Jagannath and ACF Muddanna.
Finally, the old bear was rescued using the traditional net method. It had injuries on its back and it was given all the care and treatment for two days by the Basur Kaval anti-poaching camp staff before it was transported 260 km away to Kamlapur.