a day ago
Mother bear refuses to leave cub hit by speeding car in Madhya Pradesh; video goes viral: ‘We have failed them'
In Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district, a deeply moving scene unfolded late Wednesday night, leaving both locals and social media users shaken.
Traffic along the Gohparu–Jaitpur road came to a halt for nearly an hour after a mother bear refused to abandon her injured cub, struck moments earlier by a speeding vehicle, as per a Times of India report. The bear was crossing the road near Bari drain with her three young ones when tragedy struck. The mother desperately tried to nudge the hurt cub back to life, while another cub clung to her back and the third stayed by her side.
Forest officials said the driver responsible for the hit-and-run has not been identified. Teams from the Jaitpur and Gohparu ranges eventually reached the spot, gently guiding the mother and her two surviving cubs back into the forest. The injured cub was rushed for treatment but died in the early hours of Thursday, according to TOI.
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A video capturing the mother's frantic efforts has since gone viral, stirring outrage and heartbreak online. Wildlife advocates have pointed to the dangers posed by speeding vehicles in forest corridors. 'This road passes through a sensitive habitat. Incidents like this highlight the urgent need for stricter speed regulations and signage,' a local conservationist stressed.
Social media has been flooded with emotional responses. One user wrote, 'I always say it and still saying, humans are the greatest threat to this world!' Another commented, 'Indians can't even plan where and how to build proper roads without trespassing on the habitat of wildlife.'
A third person commented: 'We've really failed them… we're supposed to protect them.' And one heartbroken viewer added, 'Anyone with heart cannot withstand the suffering of any living being on this earth. Devastating visuals.'
