Bear sighted at TNA, again

SCHOOL SHUT TILL 20 APRIL; TRAPS SET TO CATCH BEAR DURING NEXT VISIT
GANGTOK, 15 Apr: Another bear sighting at Tashi Namgyal Academy last night has forced the school to shut down till 20 April as a precautionary measure. It may be recalled that an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Kolkata Armed Police, RB Adhikari, on duty at the EVM strong-room at TNA, was attacked by a Himalayan Black Bear on 11 April.
On Monday night, at around 8 30 p.m., the school’s Chowkidar spotted a bear in the small patch of forest behind the Principal’s bungalow. On seeing the bear, he ran away from the spot and informed others. A team of Forest Department soon reached the spot and started a combing operation in the area but they could not find the bear.
Speaking to NOW! today, DFO [Wildlife], East, Abhay Bhaskar, informed that immediately after the incident was reported, a Forest team rushed to the spot and carried out a combing operation but the bear could not be traced. He informed that another combing operation was carried out this morning.
“We swept the whole area again this morning but there was no sign of the bear,” he said.
The DFO informed that two cages have been set up in the area to catch the bear in case it returns to the campus. One cage has been set up near the Principal’s Bungalow where the bear was sighted last night and from where the bear is believed to have entered the school’s compound. The other cage has been placed near the Science Block of the school which could be the probable exit point.
The bear could have come down from the Ratey-Chu forest area, it is believed.
Mr. Bhaskar further informed that the cages will be kept in campus till Saturday and a combing operation will carried out again on Thursday. The department has also stationed its teams at Forest Colony and at the Himalayan Zoological Park. These teams will maintain vigil and are prepared with all required equipment, he added.
The DFO has also appealed to the people not to panic in case of any bear sightings and to immediately inform the Forest Department.

THE NOTICE, THE CAGE, AND THE TEAM: Students arriving for classes at TNA on Tuesday were greeted with a notice announcing a holiday in light of an unscheduled visit by a Himalayan Black Bear. And already long weekend is now a weeklong holiday. Meanwhile, cages have been set up in campus to cut short a return visit and a team of foresters are on standby as quick response team.