Bahraich: Man-Eater Wolves Kill 3-Year-Old In Latest Attack

Man-eater wolves kill 3-year-old in Bahraich; forest department uses 'teddy dolls' to capture them.

A wolf, part of a pack which has allegedly killed at least seven people, being taken in a cage after it was captured, in Bahraich district. (PC: PTI)

Over the past few months, the Bahraich region has been plagued by a series of attacks by man-eating wolves. Most recently, a three-year-old girl fell victim to one of these predators. While two women were injured during a wolf attack late last night in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich region. 

According to official sources cited by PTI, since July 17, the pack of six wolves is believed to have killed six children and one woman and has injured several other villagers. 

Four wolves have been apprehended, while two remain at large. The recent incident occurred in Tepra village, marking the first fatal attack in the area in about six days. The forest department is searching for the wolves with thermal and standard drones. Now the forest department is implying a unique method to track down these man-eating wolves. 

Forest Department’s New Strategy 

The forest department has launched a novel strategy to capture the wolves by deploying brightly colored "teddy dolls" soaked in children's urine as decoys. These dolls are strategically positioned near riverbanks and close to the wolves' resting areas and dens. They are placed to mimic the natural human scent and attract those predators. 

Senior IFS officer Ramesh Kumar Pandey while talking to PTI, highlighted that various bait types are employed to capture wildlife, including live bait, dead bait, and false or disguised bait. The forest department's use of teddy dolls falls under the category of false bait. These dolls function similarly to scarecrows, which are used to protect crops from birds. 

Pandey further said that while there is no established success record for this method, such innovative approach could potentially address the ongoing human-wildlife conflict.