A wave of terror has gripped Uttar Pradesh, India, as a series of wolf attacks have left a three-year-old girl dead and multiple people injured. The most recent incident occurred in Bahraich, where a three-year-old girl was killed and two women were injured. Another attack was reported in Tepra village, highlighting the widespread nature of the wolf menace.
In response to the escalating situation, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched Operation Bhediya, a concerted effort to capture the wolves and bring the attacks to an end. While drone visuals from Bahraich show that four wolves have been captured, two remain at large.
The attacks have extended beyond Bahraich, with reports of a seven-year-old boy and a woman being attacked by wolves in the Barbigha Hardi area late last night. Monika Rani, the district magistrate of Bahraich, acknowledged the recurring nature of the wolf attacks, stating that the animals tend to resume their activity every five to six days.
The unpredictability of the wolves and the constant emergence of new attack sites pose a significant challenge for the Forest Department. “The biggest hurdle in this operation is every time a new village is marked,” said Rani.
The ferocity of these wolves has drawn comparisons to man-eaters, with reports suggesting that they have killed eight people, including six children and one woman, in the past one and a half months. The wolves have also left over 25 people injured, creating a climate of fear and anxiety within the affected communities. An estimated 50,000 people residing in the areas where the attacks have occurred are living with the constant threat of wolf encounters.
In an attempt to mitigate the danger and provide guidance to residents, Chief Forest Conservator (central zone) Renu Singh urged people to take precautions. “It is my strong appeal to the people that they sleep indoors. The people who were attacked earlier by the wolves were sleeping outside. Animals will not change their habits, but we can be a little more cautious,” Singh said.
The forest department is utilizing advanced techniques such as drone cameras and thermal drone mapping to track the wolves as part of Operation Bhediya. Authorities have also authorized the tranquilization of the animals in a bid to capture them.
The ongoing wolf attacks in Uttar Pradesh highlight the delicate balance between human settlements and wildlife, and the importance of finding effective solutions to manage human-wildlife conflicts. Operation Bhediya represents a concerted effort to address this challenge, but the task remains daunting as the wolves continue to pose a threat to the safety of local residents.
