Visakhapatnam Zoo Park animal keeper B Nagesh Babu (23) dead in Himalayan black bear attack
In Vizag Zoo Park, B Nagesh Babu, aged 23 years, an animal keeper, died in an attack by a Himalayan brack bear (10-1s years) named Jihwan at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam today.
Like any other day, FSo-1 has allotted duties to the keepers and B. Nagesh was allotted duty for the Sloth Bear and Himalayan Black bear enclosure as the animal keeper. He was working at lGzP for last 2 years and was a good worker.
At around 1O:3Oam today, the Veterinary Assistant surgeon, lGzP, Visakhapatnam on his routine rounds has asked for the sloth bear and black bear keeper from the security guard at the bear section, who reported that he has gone to black bear enclosure for cleaning and then vAs has further gone to the adjacent enclosures and has told security guard to caI the keeper in the meanwhire.
The security Guard, then, has cafled out the keeper’s name and cafied him but he did not reply, further he asked adjacent encrosure keeper to monitor at his place and gone to the night house when he saw that black bear was sitting at the outer gate of the night house of the black bear and seeing him the animal stood up.
He ran away from the site immediately and he has called the A.c-1 and FSo-1, who were on the road near the bear section. The entire team including curator, DcF, vAs have immediately gathered up to cordon off the animal and tranquillize the animal.
Luring the black bear with honey, the team was successful in sending the animal inside the enclosure and bear was taken into the day kraal and the enclosure gates which were all open, were closed immediately.
The night house was inspected and noticed that B. Nagesh Babu was rying on one side of the night house, he was found unconscious and with serious injuries on his head and left area of arm and chest. Ambutance 10g and police were immediately informed and immediately reached the spot and confirmed that he was dead.
After a detailed enquiry with the staff and analysis at the night house and enclosure, it is inferred that the keeper Nagesh had left all the doors open in the animal night house and gone inside to clean, due to which the animal has come from the day kraal into the night house first and attacked the keeper and then it has come out of the night house area also.
The animal was very far from the visitor area and the zoo team was able to cordon off the area immediately as well as manage to send the animal inside the night house in a short span of time.
