Uddanam in Limelight with Farmers-Bears Conflict

Visakhapatnam: Man-animal conflict is raging in the Uddanam area of north Andhra, with Raitanga Samasyala Sadhana Committee complaining that nearly a hundred wild bears in the region are causing significant problems for farmers, including loss of lives.

Bears in the past largely confined themselves to their habitat of wild cassava plantations in hills and coastal regions of north Andhra. However, farmers of villages on fringes of these wild areas have started encroaching upon them. They are cutting down and selling cassava in coastal areas, leading to a loss of habitat for bears.

Looking for food, they are straying into cashews, mangoes, and coconut groves, apart from fields. This is leading to a conflict between the bears and farmers, with the latter complaining that the wild animals are destroying their crops.

However, the matter becomes serious when bears end up attacking farmers. Recently, a sloth bear attacked two labourers – Ch. Lokanadham and Appikonda Kumar – working on a cashew plantation, leading to their death. This has created panic among the locals.

Earlier too, on June 11, 2018, a bear attacked a couple and killed them near Erramukkam in Mandasa mandal of Srikakulam district. Seven others were injured in the incident then, leading to a huge outcry.

Similarly, on June 19, 2022, Kadamati Kodanda Rao from Kidisingi village in Vajrapukottur mandal lost his life in a bear attack. The very next day, a bear struck again, this time targeting six individuals working on a cashew plantation in the same Mandal, leading to three of them dying while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Bear attacks have once again started increasing this year. Locals are complaining to forest officials, who are asking farmers to take precautions. Farmers are wondering whether officials are taking any action at all. They believe relocating the bears to a sanctuary will mitigate their problems.

When contacted, forest range officer A. Muralikrishna told Deccan Chronicle that about 15–20 bears have been moving in the shelter bed zone of Uddanam. Some of them are reportedly coming from nearby Chhattisgarh and Odisha forests.

Muralikrishna says, “The natural spaces where bears used to roam have been destroyed and encroached. As a result, bear habitats have become drier, forcing them to venture into villages searching for food.”

As a precautionary measure, forest officials are asking farmers to work in groups when they are in cashew, mango, or coconut groves, making noises frequently. During nights, villagers have been asked to carry a Kagada, the traditional torch.