KARIMNAGAR: A sloth bear was successfully rescued on Saturday afternoon after it caused panic among the residents of Karimnagar city on Friday night. Forest department officials and a rescue team from Warangal Zoological Park took almost six hours on Saturday to capture the animal.
District Forest Officer Ch Balamani said that upon receiving information about the sloth bear’s presence near the Sripuram colony and Rizwi Chaman area, she alerted Forest Range Officer G Srinivas Reddy and his team.
Prior to the rescue, there were instances of locals attempting to chase the wild animal. After disappearing for a while, the bear reemerged in the Rekurthi area on Saturday. The sloth bear then entered the power substation area in Rekurthi.
The Forest Range Officer cautioned the public against harming or attacking the wild animal. During the rescue operation, the bear attempted to attack the forest staff. They, however, managed to tranquillise it, before placing it inside an animal rescue van. The bear was then relocated to the Bhupalpally forest area in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
In March 2022, a sloth bear was spotted on the hillock of Satavahana University; however, it could not be captured. These bears are losing their natural habitats due to rampant granite mining activities in the region, thus forcing them to venture into human-inhabited areas.