Ooty: Man-bear conflicts have taken a new dimension at Doddabetta slopes near Ooty as fruiting season pears are attracting bears to the farmlandsaround.
Perhaps for the first time in many decades, the man-bear conflict has begun to emanate in Ooty suburban limits as the bears frequenting the farmlands along the Doddabetta slopes, about 10-km off this hill town, has not only shocked the residents and foresters but also have turned the things nightmarish for residents there who are all scared and in no mood to venture into their farmlands for daily work.
The straying of sloth bears in the farmlands around Pudukadu hamlet inDoddabetta slopes, a few meters away from the Tea Park, a tourism spot there, over the past few days has brought the farming activities to a standstill as the farmers and farm workers do not takeany risk to go there because of the fear of bears.
The residents at Pudukuadu said that it is really shocking for them tospot the sloth bear in the farm lands, which is often being seentrying to eat the pear fruits in the pear trees in and around the farm lands.
“Though it has not made any attempt to attack the humans all these days, the danger due to the continuous presence of the stray bear is scaring the minds and farmers are in utter fear. What is needed is efforts should be made to capture and relocate the bear before it tried to venture into the human settlements along,” a resident there opined.
The Foresters, who inspected the spot advised the farmers to harvest the pear fruits in quick time as the bear has strayed into the area only to taste the fruit.
The foresters also formed a team to trace the movement of the bear to chalk out their next plan of action.
