Reported by Avik Chakraborty
Dibrugarh: After seven hours of continuous operation, a wild Asiatic bear was rescued by a forest team from Mariani in Assam’s Jorhat district on Tuesday.
According to local residents, the bear triggered panic in Doklongia Dekagaon after straying into a residential area in the early hours of Tuesday.
The sighting prompted a swift and coordinated rescue operation by forest officials and wildlife experts that lasted nearly seven hours.
The full-grown male bear was first spotted around 5.30 am, hiding among bamboo trees near the verandah of local resident Mukul Saikia’s home.
Word of the animal’s presence spread rapidly through the neighbourhood, drawing curious onlookers even as authorities urged people to maintain a safe distance.
“We woke up to the sound of a commotion outside and could not believe our eyes when we saw the bear crouching near our verandah behind the bamboo grove. We immediately informed the forest department and stayed indoors,” said Mukul Saikia, recalling the early morning incident.
Forest department personnel reached the spot swiftly and began efforts to control the situation, ensuring residents stayed at a safe distance while assessing the animal’s condition and behaviour. A veterinary team from Kaziranga National Park was also called in to assist with the operation.
After hours of careful planning to avoid injuring the animal or provoking aggression, the joint team successfully tranquilised the bear around 1 pm—more than seven hours after it was first sighted. The operation was carried out without injury to the animal or any personnel.
“It was a challenging operation given the residential surroundings and presence of onlookers, but the team handled it with precision. The bear has been safely rescued and will be examined before a decision is taken on its release in Kaziranga,” a senior forest official said.
Officials suspect the bear may have strayed into the settlement from a nearby forested area.
Residents have been advised to remain vigilant and immediately report any wildlife sightings to the forest department, rather than attempting to approach or handle the animals themselves.