Bear attack alert in Palamu Tiger Reserve: Forest department launches awareness drive in Jharkhand
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, July 16: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) has intensified its awareness campaign across villages bordering forests in…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, July 16: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) has intensified its awareness campaign across villages bordering forests in Jharkhand’s Latehar district following a recent spike in bear attacks. With four incidents reported within a week in the Mahuadanr range, forest officials are urging residents to exercise caution while entering forest areas to reduce the growing human-bear conflict.
Bear attacks rise during monsoon season
Palamu Tiger Reserve witnesses seasonal challenges linked to people’s dependence on forests. Forest fires typically increase during the mahua collection season, while the monsoon months see a rise in bear attacks as villagers venture into forests to collect wild mushrooms, jackfruit and other forest produce.
To prevent further incidents, forest personnel are visiting villages in official vehicles fitted with loudspeakers and displaying awareness posters carrying messages such as “Bhalu Se Bachen” (Beware of Bears). The campaign targets villages located along the forest fringes, where interactions between humans and wildlife are most frequent.
Deputy Director (South Division) of Palamu Tiger Reserve, Kumar Ashish, said the forest department has directed field staff to intensify awareness efforts following the recent attacks.
“We have asked the forest team of this range to step up campaigns for the safety of people in view of the recent spate of bear attacks. Four such incidents have been reported within a week or so,” Ashish said.
He added, “It is a big relief and a matter of consolation that there has been no loss of life in the recent bear attacks.”
Awareness drive reaches forest-fringe villages
Forest officials said the awareness campaign is being conducted in simple language so that villagers can easily understand the safety messages. Forester-in-charge Gurudayal Singh said women and children regularly gather to listen to the announcements made through the public address system.
The forest department has deliberately avoided imposing unrealistic restrictions, acknowledging that local communities depend heavily on forests for their livelihoods. Residents routinely collect dry firewood for cooking, while cattle owners have little option but to graze their livestock inside forests because most villages lack grazing grounds.
Large herds of cattle, accompanied by cowherds and goatherds, enter the forests every morning in search of fodder, increasing the likelihood of encounters with bears.
Tribal dependence on forests increases risk
Mahuadanr block comprises around 100 villages with a predominantly tribal population. Forest officials said communities living near the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border, including Kukudpat, Chiro, Jamdih and Pokhradeeh, frequently enter forests to collect wild mushrooms and other seasonal produce, putting themselves at greater risk of bear encounters.
Despite repeated advisories, many local residents say avoiding the forests is not an option.
When contacted by The Jharkhand Story Network, villagers from Mahuadanr said, “The jungle is our half home. We cannot live without going into it.”
PTR issues safety advisory for villagers
Ashish advised villagers not to provoke wildlife.
“It is never safe to make direct eye contact with wildlife. Avoid looking into the eyes of wild animals,” he said.
Forest officials have also urged women and children to avoid entering forests, especially during the early morning and after sunset, when wildlife movement is at its peak. They cautioned against venturing into forests alone, describing solitary movement inside the tiger reserve as highly risky.
The Mahuadanr range also houses a dedicated wolf sanctuary. However, officials said wolves in the area have no history of attacking humans, although they are known to prey on goats and poultry. They noted that the nature of conflict between humans and wolves is vastly different from the recurring confrontations involving bears.
