Sloth bear: Tourists barred from visiting Puliyancholai
Though the nearby reserve forest areas have sloth bears, the department said it was very rare for the protected animal to wander into the streams that have constant human movement.
Namakkal forest department that has jurisdiction over Puliyancholai streams, situated about 80km from Trichy city, said the sloth bear was first spotted by locals around 6.30pm on Saturday. The department staff inspected the spot as locals shared a purported video of the bear near the streams.
Listed under schedule I of Indian Wildlife Protection act, 1972, the bear was seen crossing the streams and reaching areas accessed by tourists.
"The bear was around 2.5 feet tall. We are tracking the animal's movements. It may take a few days for the bear to return to the core reserve forest areas," a forest department official said. Three of them have been deployed in Puliyancholai to stop tourists and locals from moving into the area.
Officials said there is a high chance of the animal attacking people if provoked. "There is substantial water flow in the streams, but tourists will not be allowed until we confirm that the bear has left the zone," the official added. Sloth bears feed on termites in the forest area. Leisure bathing has now been prohibited on a 500-metre stretch of the stream. Forest department said that bears are usually spotted only in reserve forest areas in the uphill zone of Kolli hills, mostly near Oyangudi and Soradipatti villages.
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