Tragic Loss of Two Bear Cubs in Enclosed Well Near Ambika Palace Hotel
In a heartbreaking incident last night, two bear cubs drowned after falling into a well near Ambika Palace Hotel. While foraging on a mulberry tree that hung over the enclosed well, the curious cubs lost their balance and fell into the deep water below.
The haunting question makes this tragedy even more sorrowful: Where was the mother bear? It’s hard to imagine her distress, watching her cubs struggle for their lives, yet unable to intervene. Perhaps out of desperation, she chose not to leap into the well, but it’s a mystery that leaves a lingering ache.
The well, positioned away from the main road, likely muffled the cubs’ cries for help. Even if they made a commotion, their voices were unheard throughout the night. When locals came to draw water from the well in the early morning, they discovered their lifeless bodies.
The forest department received immediate notification, and their personnel arrived to retrieve the bodies of the two cubs. There have been reports of the mother bear being sighted in the area, searching for her lost young. While this loss is tragic, we advise residents to be cautious, as the grieving mother bear, who is likely on edge, may become aggressive.
This devastating event serves as a sombre reminder of the delicate balance between wildlife and human settlement, and the unforeseen dangers animals face in such an environment. Let’s hope this incident prompts action to protect the safety of both animals and people in these overlapping areas.
The Cubs were just a month and a half old.
A male and female cub.
(cub photographs per kind favour Kishore Singh Forest department)