A bear that had been wandering through residential areas in Hosapete for several months, worrying locals, was finally captured by the Forest Department on Thursday night.
The operation unfolded on Sandur Road, on the city’s outskirts, where officials spotted the 70-kg male bear perched on a tree near Annapoorna Garage.
The area was swiftly sealed off, and a team from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zoological Park, Kamalapura, including a veterinary doctor, was called in with nets and a cage. The bear was sedated with a dart while in the tree, brought down safely, and secured in the cage.
Range Forest Officer Koushik Dalwai said the animal had been frequently sighted in localities such as Sanklapura, Kariganuru, Rajapura, Joladarashi Hill, and Jambunatha Hill. “It never harmed anyone, but repeated sightings created panic. We had been tracking it for months, and the operation was successful,” he noted.
Forest Department sources said the bear would undergo a health check before being temporarily kept at the zoo. Its final release site will be decided after officials study its behaviour and movements.
Mr. Dalwai added that the animal was likely drawn to food, having often visited a snacks factory in Sanklapura and even tasting oil from lamps at the Jambunatha temple.
The operation was led by Deputy Conservator of Forests Anupama, Kamalapura Zoo Deputy Conservator of Forests Rajesh Naik, and Assistant Conservator of Forests Bhaskar.