A forest guard and watcher were the targets of a sloth bear’s attacks in Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Forest guard Mahendra Tekam suffered injuries on head, abdomen and hand while watcher Nandlal Rahangdale’s hand got fractured.
The sloth bear attacked the forest guard while on duty and the watcher was attacked subsequently while he was attempting to fend off the attack to save the guard. They alerted the range officer using wireless communication and, despite injuries, made their way towards the road.
A Kanha team took them to Baihar Hospital for immediate medical relief and then moved them to Jabalpur Hospital for further treatment.
In our conservation mission, a fierce incident emerged. A sloth bear #attacked our forest guard and watcher, but their unwavering commitment prevailed. 🐻
— Kanha Tiger Reserve (@TrKanha) December 17, 2023
Despite the unsettling nature of this image, our commitment to protect our wildlife in the midst of imminent danger everyday. pic.twitter.com/0J1xOojCAE
