Bolangir: There has been a rise in incidents of wild animals straying into human settlements as four such cases have been reported from Bolangir district in the last two months. Today, two persons at Raksimunda village under Puintala police limits were injured in a bear attack.
On May 12 a bear had entered Bichuali village under Belpara block of the district and injured two persons. A week prior to that, four to five persons were injured in another bear attack at Titlagarh, before it was captured by forest department officials.
Similarly, on April 17 a leopard had also strayed into Kuruli village under Kantabanji forest range in the district. The forest officials were able to capture the leopard after 12-hour-long operation. Two persons including Tureikela Police Station IIC were injured in the leopard attack.
According to environmentalists, 33 percent forest area is needed to maintain ecological balance between human and wildlife but forests in Bolangir district have reduced to just 14.7 percent area which has emerged as a major concern.