Bear on prowl in Bhaderwah, damages poultry farm

Bhaderwah, Jan 9: Fear gripped Sartingal and Bheja areas of Bhaderwah after a black bear was spotted multiple times in the area and also the CCTV footage of it vandalising a poultry farm has further sent locals into a tizzy.

Sleuths of the Wildlife Department, Police and SOG launched an intensified search operation after a fully grown black bear was spotted roaming in the Kaach and Sartingal area along Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road, where the animal broke the doors of a private poultry farm and killed 300 birds. The residents of the Kaach, Sartingal and Bheja villages of Athkhar area of Bhadarwah, said the bear struck in the dark of the night, lifting its prey from the villages and roaming freely in the area throwing villagers into a tailspin.

“Black bear tore the iron window mesh of our poultry shed and entered during the night. The fully grown beast broke the shed’s door and killed atleast 300 chicken and later after eating its prey, it escaped from the spot," said Imtiaz Hussain Ganai Bhat, whose poultry farm was ravaged by the prowling bear on Tuesday night.

Wildlife warden Chenab region Chander Shekhar said that CCTV of the poultry farm clearly shows how the black bear broke the doors and killed the birds at Haach, besides several complaints were received from adjoining Bheja and Sartingal villages about the beast roaming in the inhabited areas

"A team of trained wildlife officials along with tranquilizing guns and cages is on the spot and a massive operation has been launched to locate the beast," said Chander Shekhar.