Karadi tales: 3 bears target Kotagiri bakery thrice in a week

Bears usually like ghee and butter products. The three bears entered the shop and emptied a few tins of butter. They also devoured biscuits, cakes, bread and some noodle packets stocked for sale,” said B Srinivasan, forest range officer, Kotagiri.

Their first ‘visit’ to the shop was on the night of September 30, when the animals consumed snacks damaging glass boxes and shelves. Again, the same bears, comprising the mother and the two cubs, targeted the shop in the early hours of October 3. Within a few days, the bears have now struck again, causing more loss to the owner.

The shop owner had informed the Forest Department that he incurred a loss of over Rs 1 lakh following the bear attacks. In fact, Jagadeesh, who was staying in a house behind the shop, was terrified after spotting the bears entering his shop around 2.30am on Monday.

So far, the shop had just wooden doors. However, following the advice of the Forest Department, Jagadeesh was preparing to replace them with an iron shutter to prevent the entry of the animals.  The Forest Department personnel, who arrived on receiving information, drove away the animals by bursting crackers.

The Forest Department personnel said the bears strayed out of the reserve forest, which is just 50 metres away. “We have asked the panchayat to remove three garbage bins nearby as the bears rummage through them in search of food. We will maintain round-the-clock vigil to chase them away,” said Srinivasan. 

Meanwhile, villagers, scared of the frequent bear visits, have urged the Forest Department to trap them in a cage and relocate them in the deep forest.