Joida taluk: Bear Attacks on the Rise in Uttara Kannada (UK) district, Karnataka

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July 22, 2025
By The Flag Post staff

Uttara Kannada (UK) district in north-west Karnataka, lies in the western ghats and has large area under forest cover. The district makes for some scenic locales and has healthy flora and fauna, and some species are endemic to the region.

Joida taluk is sparsely populated and is one of the largest taluks in the state; has thick forest cover and the Kali Tiger Reserve (KTR) falls in the same region. It is known to have a good prey base and has a healthy number of carnivores. There also are farmlands and hamlets which are contiguous to the forest. So, there is interaction amongst the residents of the villages, their domestic animals and the wild animals. Man-animal conflict is real in some places and such incidents are on the rise.

The forest department is responsible for protecting the forests and the wildlife, and the villagers also play a major role in assisting them. Since the last couple of months there have been attacks by bears on humans and their cattle. Joida taluk has recorded a large number of cases. A recent case was reported at Mundgod in the eastern part of Uttara Kannada district. A person who had gone to defecate in the forest area, was attacked by two bears and luckily he saved himself. He was admitted to Sirsi and is recovering.

The bear attacks in Joida taluk recorded in Ramnagar, Asu, Jagalbet, Aveda, Gund and Kumbharwada and surrounding villages. The other places where such untoward attacks have happened are in villages near Dandeli and Haliyal taluks. There have been bear attacks reported from different taluks of UK district. Residents of Nagargali, Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district also have their share of bear attacks to narrate.

Villagers and those moving in remote wooded areas with little or no human presence, have to stay alert for attacks from bears and other wild animals. The bears are fond of tubers like sweet potatoes and they keep searching for bee-hives and jack fruit trees. So the farmers and villages near forests are advised to stay clear from such areas for their safety, and suggested to exercise caution at all times.