Forest Officials Urge: ‘Don’t Confuse Jackals With Wolves In Bahraich’

Bahraich: Uttar Pradesh Forest Corporation General Manager Sanjay Pathak on Monday voiced his disapproval over the rumours concerning the recent wolf attacks. Pathak said that such misinformation disrupts operations and confuses the team. 

“Despite installing snap cameras using thermal technology to track wolves, no wolves have been detected so far. People are getting confused and calling jackals as wolves," official said. 

No Wolf Attack In Past 7 Days

Pathak explained that the normalising river water levels and dried-up banks might have led the wolves to return to their natural habitat, which could explain the absence of wolf attacks in the past 6 to 7 days.

"If such rumours don't stop, we are considering asking the district administration and police to take necessary action," Pathak said.

In response to the recent wolf attacks, the Bahraich district administration has established shelter homes to safeguard villagers from the threat. The administration has repurposed the existing Panchayat Bhawan into a shelter home.

In Chandpaiya village, located in the Mahasi tehsil of Bahraich, the administration has converted the Panchayat Bhawan into a refuge for villagers who lack proper housing or have homes with inadequate wooden doors, providing them with a secure place to stay.

Many people are residing in these protected shelters because of their fear of wolves and the poor condition of their own homes. Residents of the Panchayat Bhawan shelter recounted their experiences of the terror caused by the wolves, explaining that they were compelled to abandon their homes and take refuge here.

The supervisor at the shelter home said, "Here arrangements have been made for the villagers to stay. 7 to 8 people come here to stay. Some people have been staying for the last five days and others for the last 10 days. As the number of people will keep increasing, more arrangements will be provided. They are staying here due to fear and the poor condition of their homes. Here the MLA and panchayat officials are taking care. There is an adequate arrangement of drinking water and toilets."

So far, four wolves have been captured. On Saturday morning, drone footage from Harbaksh Purwa village revealed a large area of farmland under watch. A search operation was carried out 2-3 kilometers away from Harbaksh Purwa on Saturday morning. The wolf, spotted here on Friday night, was tracked down with the assistance of thermal drones.