Bison Strays from Sanctuary into Tripura village, Sparks Panic among Residents
Panic swept through the residents of Kathalia Block in Tripura as a bison from the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary strayed into nearby human settlements and agricultural fields, creating a tense situation. The incident prompted authorities to take immediate action, deploying a team from the forest and wildlife protection department to the areas under the Jatrapur, Melagarh, and Sonamura police stations to avoid loss of life and property.
According to Subrata Debnath, a police officer at the Jatrapur police station, measures were swiftly put in place, including using loudspeakers, to calm the villagers and safely guide the bison back to its habitat. The bison had been wandering through various areas within Kathalia Block for 4-5 days before being spotted near human dwellings on Monday. This caused alarm among locals who attempted to chase it away.
In response, authorities urged villagers to refrain from chasing the bison and sought their cooperation in facilitating its safe return to the Trishna sanctuary. Despite these efforts, villagers expressed dissatisfaction with the forest and wildlife protection officials, accusing them of failing to relocate the bison from the agricultural fields and human settlements over the past few days.
The presence of the bison in close proximity to human habitation raised concerns about potential conflicts between wildlife and villagers. Even as it rare that a bison strayed off and drifted towards human habitat. It is believed the bison left behind the herd and wandering unsuccessfully to reach its natural habitat. Even as efforts have been made to ensure the safety of both wildlife and local communities through effective management and conservation practices, resentment among the villagers is palpable.