COIMBATORE: An injured striped hyena found in coma near Bhavani in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in Erode district regained consciousness after treatment by veterinary doctors.
I. Anvardheen, field director and CCF Sathyamangalam tiger reserve told the DC that veterinary doctor K. Asokan and his team took up the challenging responsibility of treating the hyena. It has now almost recovered up to 60 percent.
Hyenas are scavengers and very rare to sight. The numbers of hyenas in south Indian forest have declined in numbers and the species has been already brought under the endangered list, schedule one of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Forest staff on routine patrolling found the hyena lying unconscious near Bijil Kuttai in the Bhavanisagar range near a human habitat. They suspect that some unknown group attacked it with stones. It could have lost its way and entered the human habitat.
This is the first time a hyena is being treated and the first time in the country in living memory that an animal is recovering from a coma, added the doctor.
