Rise in man-animal conflict, wild boar killed

Kendrapara (Odisha), Dec 15 (PTI) A male wild boar was killed in Odisha's Kendrapara district, officials said. The mutilated body of the boar was recovered on the southern part of the village yesterday. The body bore multiple injury marks and appears to be a retaliatory killing by local residents as wild boars are found ravaging the standing crop in these areas, said Forest Range officer, Mahakalpada forest range, Bijoy Kumar Parida. A case under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has been registered in connection with unnatural death of the animal, Parida said, adding forest personnel have begun night vigil in villages which bear the brunt of animals straying into human habitat. Panic gripped Baulokani and adjoining villages as hordes of wild boars made their way into places of human habitation in the past few days. The animals vandalized the crops in the agriculture fields. The department has constituted night-vigil squads who are maintaining watch in forest-side villages. By bursting fire crackers and beating up drums, they have been trying to keep the wild boar at bay. Besides villagers have been advised to avoid movement during night and early morning hours when animals mostly make their way to crop fields. Besides steel-net-barricade is being installed in village borders to ward off animals' intrusion, said Divisional Forest Officer, Kedar Kumar Swain. Violence had broken out in sanctuary-side Sasanapeta village on October 18, 2013 following the death of a local due to attack by wild boars. The irate residents then set ablaze the nearby Gahirmatha forest range office and triggered extensive damage to forest department properties. PTI