The fifth 'killer' wolf was captured in Bahraich on Tuesday
LUCKNOW: The fifth 'killer'
wolf
was captured in
Bahraich
on Tuesday, while one remains at large. The wolves are responsible for nine deaths, including eight children and one woman, along with multiple attacks on villagers in the Bahraich district since March.
"We have caught the fifth wolf. Only one remains, and we are confident we will capture it soon.
Our team is working tirelessly every day to locate and apprehend the remaining wolf," said
Divisional Forest Officer
(DFO)
Ajeet Pratap Singh
.
The captured wolf, a female, was found in
Sisaiya
village. DFO Singh shared with reporters that although the operation to catch the wolves is not yet complete, significant progress has been made. A search is still underway for the last 'killer' wolf.
"The operation had been ongoing since yesterday. The final phase began at around 5.30 a.m. and concluded successfully by 6.30 a.m. Unlike previous operations, we didn’t deploy drones to capture the wolf, as the animals had started fleeing upon spotting them. However, drones were still used to monitor its possible escape routes. One more wolf remains, and we have its location. We are on high alert," Singh explained.
He also mentioned that vigilance in the area will be increased. "The remaining wolf is a male. We’re hopeful that we will capture it soon."
Renu Singh, chief forest conservator of the central zone, praised the team’s efforts, calling it a significant achievement. "Four wolves had already been captured, and with today’s success, the tally stands at five."
The DFO and his team tracked the wolf after receiving reports that it had killed a goat in
Nathuwapur
. They traced its pug marks, set up nets, and waited to launch the operation at dawn, as a nighttime rescue was not feasible.
"We adapted our strategy since the wolves had become smarter. Earlier, we would fly drones directly above them, but they learned to flee as soon as the drones appeared. This time, we monitored their location but held back on using drones in the final phase of the operation," said Renu Singh. "We are making every effort to rescue the last wolf and plan to transfer it to a zoo."
The forest department has deployed six cameras, 10 drones, and 300 personnel from the
Provincial Armed Constabulary
(
PAC
) to patrol the area. In addition, 32 teams from the
revenue department
and 25 teams from the forest department are on the ground. Authorities are using loudspeakers to advise villagers to stay indoors, keep their children inside, and secure their homes at night.
English (US) ·