Black bear injures forest officials in Sikkim

Gangtok, Nov. 4: Two wildlife personnel got seriously injured while they were trying to catch alive a Himalayan black bear from a Sikkim village.

"We had been to the spot and we tried our level best to save by tranquillising the animal. But, there were so many other effects that the animal could not be controlled in such a way. That is why, two of our officials have been injured and one of them is in a serious condition,” said H.P Pradhan, Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), Department of Forests.

“Now, we are planning to send them down to Siliguri in consultation with the family members and the bear has been taken to the zoo.”

It took about 8 hours to put the bear in cage.

The bear had entered Sichui village, 15 kilometres from Gangtok on November 3.

Himalayan bears tend to come down the valleys during winter to look for food in the maze and cornfields.

Himalayan Black Bear which is one of the three bear species found in Sikkim or in the Himalayan ranges from a height of 5,000 ft upto 12,000 ft.

Wild animals stray into urban areas, mainly owing to loss of habitat and extension of human settlements into forest areas.

--ANI