NILGIRIS: Residents of Wellington in Coonoor woke up in the wee hours of Tuesday to the roar of a sloth bear that was looking for food. The grizzly beast was trying in vain to knock open the doors of a grocery shop near the police station.
The animal spent over 15 minutes attempting to tear down the doors of the shop but the wooden doors proved too strong. Video clips showed the forlorn animal walking away dejectedly. The animal was attracted to the shop by the smell of gingelly oil, honey, fruits, ghee and vanaspati, sources said.
According to forest sources, the animal was spotted by the shop for the first time and it did not damage the shop or houses nearby.
“We suspect the animal is male and could have come from nearby Sampangi forest. A resident who was standing in the opposite building captured the incident on his mobile phone and circulated it on social media,” said a forest department official
Soon after the incident, staff from the Kattabettu forest range visited the spot and held inquiries with people. The team advised the residents and traders to close all doors and windows at night to avoid conflict as there is a high possibility of the animal returning to the area.
“Our staff shared their phone numbers with the residents and asked them to call for assistance instead of attempting to chase the animal on their own,” the official added.