New Delhi — A sloth-bear killed a couple in central India’s Madhya Pradesh forest last weekend. The animal then played with the remains for hours. But a forestry official said that the animal did not feed on their bodies. This refutes witness accounts from earlier this week.
Although sloth bear encounters are fairly common, they can also attack humans. A CBS News expert said that it is not unusual for them to eat human flesh. Gaurav Sharma, a Divisional Forest Officer, told CBS News that the animal died within two hours of being captured. Although it was confirmed that the animal was rabid, a medical examination did not reveal whether it had ingested human remains.
A man and his wife were returning from temple visits early on Sunday morning when the attack occurred. The woman was attacked by the sloth bear as they walked through Panna National Park forest. He then killed her. When he attempted to rescue his wife, he was also killed.
India’s NDTV network quoted Sharma Friday as saying that the attack occurred around 6:30 AM after Sharma and his wife went to “offer prayers at a temple in the area”.
According to The Times of India, eyewitnesses who saw the bear eating the victims were quoted by villagers. They claimed that they tried to scare it away with gunshots, but the bear wouldn’t move. According to the paper, witnesses witnessed the bear eating victims for several hours before forestry workers arrived.
CBS News’ Neha Sinha, conservation biologist and author said that this is “very unusual.” “Sloth bears usually eat honey and insects.”
In India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, sloth bears can be found. They can reach 300 pounds and are approximately the same size as American black bears.
For at least 20 years, deforestation has been increasing in India. This has led to the loss of species like bears and forced them into close proximity of villages and towns. In India, violent human-animal encounters are on the rise.
Sinha told CBS News that there is usually conflict in mahua season when people collect flowers and bears feed. Mahua, a tree that is found in many parts of South Asia, flowers in late spring and early Summer. Both sloth bears and people love the flowers.
Many people venture into the forest to pick flowers to sell at this time of the year.
Indian media outlets were informed earlier this week by forest officials that the unusual behavior of the bear could be caused by rabies. Sharma confirmed earlier in the week that the bear had been rabid.
According to India Today, Uttam Sharma Sharma, the field director at Panna National Park, said that the bear appeared to be in its final stages when it attacked the couple.
According to a March study, the state of Madhya Pradesh had the highest number of sloth bear attacks in India. According to the study, they are the most prevalent bear species in India and can behave aggressively towards humans when threatened. They are also among the most dangerous wildlife in India.
According to regional authorities, the family of the couple would receive 400,000 Indian rupees ($5,100), as compensation for their loss.
