The beast inside: Villagers kill two bears in retaliation

Locals separate cub from its mother, killing both of them

MANSEHRA: Villagers killed two wild bears within the jurisdiction of Jabori union council in Mansehra on Friday to avenge frequent attacks on locals.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a local said a female bear entered Dabar Katha village with her cub on Thursday afternoon. “Locals were in a state of panic due to frequent bear attacks in various parts of Kaghan and Siran valleys,” he said. “However, they decided to fight back by separating the mother and her cub so they could kill them easily.”

According to the local, the female bear entered Jabori Bazaar and reportedly tried to attack people.

“This forced some villagers to shoot the animal with 12-bore shotguns,” he said. “Others stoned and bludgeoned the bear to death.”

Meanwhile, a second group of villagers followed the cub and forced it to enter the restroom of a seminary in Dabar Katha village. They killed the cub with a 12-bore shotgun.

Wildlife officials told The Express Tribune the female bear was 27-years-old, while her cub was only one.

Earlier this week, villagers killed a bear with her two minor cubs at a forest in Balakot.

Mortal fear

According to the officials, heavy rain and snowfall has forced bears to wander into various villages in search for food. This has left residents in mortal fear of bear attacks and many of them have attacked animals in retaliation.

“There are over two dozen pairs of black bears in various forests in the region,” said an official from the wildlife department.

He added anyone found guilty of killing wildlife can be sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of Rs50,000 as per sections 11 and 20 of Wildlife Act 1976.

“The remains of the female bear and her cub have been taken into possession and sent to Dhodial Pheasantry for post-mortem,” said the official. “Investigation is currently under way to determine if the animals were killed in self-defence or not.”

The final report, including all evidences, will determine if an FIR will be registered against the villagers.

District Wildlife Officer Faiq Khan was not available for comments despite repeated attempts to contact him. However, his office did confirm the recent killing of two black bears in Jabori.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2015.