At least six people attacked and injured by a group of wild boar in India

A group of 5 Wild Boar

In the latest incident of man-wildlife conflict in villages lying in close proximity of Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, at least six persons including two women and an infant were injured today following attack by hordes of wild boars in Jamboo village under Mahakalpada police station jurisdiction.

As the news of animal attack spread, people rose in protest and demonstrated in front of the local forest office.

The agitating people were demanding the launch of foolproof measures to curb the intrusion of animals like wild boar, crocodiles and spotted deer into places of human habitation.

Three persons including a 15-year-old girl, a 55-year-old woman were injured while three others sustained injuries following the stampede that ensued as the wild boars chased the people. All of them, who were hospitalised, are out of danger.

The injured persons are being covered under Rs 5,000 compensation award by the forest department. It is also bearing the cost of treatment of the injured persons. The animals had strayed into crop fields. While they were on their way back to forest habitat, they had attacked the people, said Mahakalpada Forest Range Officer, Bijoy Kumar Parida. With acts of trespass by wild boars being frequent, people are living sleepless nights in Jamboo, Suniti,

Bagagahana, Badadandua and a cluster of other forest-side villages. They have resorted to bursting fire crackers and beating gongs to keep the rogue animals at bay, said a local Samarendra Mahali.

Conversion of the forest area into paddy cultivation and shrimp farming is a salient feature in these parts.

This has led to animals like wild boar straying into human habitation areas due to loss of their habitat, felt forest officials.

Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division Kedar Kumar Swain said "The forest department has intensified watch and vigil in village areas to drive away the wild boar. Forest personnel have begun night watch and vigil in villages which are marked by straying of animals. Villagers have been advised to avoid movement during night hours when animals mostly make their way to crop fields in village areas. Besides a steel-net-barricade is being installed shortly around village boundaries to ward off the animals' intrusion into human settlements."