Bear enters MP tribal village in search of water, attacks seven
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Seven people were attacked by a bear in Gajigarh village in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district on Tuesday. The Forest department thinks the wild animal came in search of water.
The bear entered the tribal village around 7 am possibly in search of water. Upon finding a water tank where local residents were collecting water. The animal attacked them from behind.
One of the seven victims is a 70-year-old man who suffered serious injuries. He was taken to the district hospital for treatment, said Bairad's deputy ranger Ashok Kumar Sharma. No wild animal had been ever spotted in the area. Bairad sub-range is located close to the Kuno wildlife sanctuary. Forest rangers suspect the bear came from there.
Environmentalists have repeatedly pointed out that massive deforestation and climate change affecting food sources are driving animals out of their homes in search of essential means of survival.
A week ago, a sloth bear killed a couple in Panna, a district in Madhya Pradesh in a particularly gruesome manner and feasted on their remains for hours. According to the Times of India, the attack took place at around 6.30 am and the bear "tore their bodies apart". The wild animal ate them for at least four hours before the police and forest department officials arrived.
Bear attacks are relatively rare in India and most reported cases are in regions close to forests. In 48 of the known attacks, sloth bears were involved. However, sloth bears rarely ever venture out to human settlements. They are also known for sticking to a mostly vegetarian diet.
According to experts, 90% of a sloth bear's diet is fruits. The rest of it is flowers, ants, and termites. They may occasionally eat a small mammal or a reptile. Attacking humans and eating their bodies are highly unusual behaviours for a sloth bear.
Some researchers have theorised that sloth bears may have come to see humans as a predatory species similar to tigers or leopards. Sloth bears are an aggressive species when it comes to responding to dangerous situations or predators.