Pregnant bear rescued in 48-hour long operation in J-K’s Kishtwar

Bhaderwah/Jammu, Oct 5 (PTI) A pregnant black bear, weighing over 300 kgs, was rescued from a fast flowing mountain stream in Chatroo area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district early Sunday, officials said.

The rescue operation by the officials of the wildlife protection department lasted 48 hours and the bear was later released in its natural habitat, the officials said.

“The huge bear was spotted by the villagers trapped in the fast currents of Dangar Nullah on Friday and accordingly a rescue team was mobilized on getting the information,” Range Officer Wildlife Protection Department, Shafer Iqbal told PTI.

Iqbal, who supervised the rescue operation, said the local unit of the Army and locals actively participated in the rescue operation.

“The trapped bear was huge and weighed over 300 kgs. The animal turned out to be pregnant, prompting the rescuers to complete the mission without using the tranquillisers to avoid any harm to it,” he said.

In another rescue operation, the official said a bear along with two cubs were noticed at Halyan forest in Bhaderwah area of Doda district and were safely driven back into the forest.

The department called for greater awareness and cooperation from the public to ensure the safety of both humans and animals, emphasising the need for continued efforts to protect forests and wildlife corridors. PTI COR TAS TAS NB NB