A sloth bear that triggered panic among residents of Manathavady municipality and Edavaka, Vellamunda and Panamaram grama panchayats under the North Wayanad Forest Division for the past four days was driven away to the Neykuppa forest in South Wayanad Forest Division on Wednesday midnight.
The animal was first sighted in a human habitat at Puthiyodom near Payyampilly and Valliyurkavu areas under the Mananthavady municipality on January 21 night, and the very next day, the animal was sighted at Peechomkode and Thonicchal areas in Edavaka grama panchayat.
Later, it was found in a paddy field at Tharuvana in Vellamunda grama panchayat, and Forest department officials tried to capture the animal after tranquilising it. But the effort proved futile.
It was reported that the bear broke open the kitchen doors of houses, a church, and an eatery and consumed coconut oil and sugar. However, the straying animal did not attack any residents or livestock.
“The animal was finally sighted at Keenjakadvau near Panamaram in the wee hours of Wednesday, and we drove the animal away to the Neykuppa forest under the South Wayanad forest division at midnight,” sources in the Forest department said. Close to 70 frontline forest staff, veterinary experts, and members of the rapid response team took part in the operation.
