Rathedaung resident hospitalized with serious injuries after a bear’s attack

A resident of Kyauk Sardai village under Rathedaung township was recently attacked by a bear in the Mayu mountain range while he was looking for vine ropes to repair his houses damaged by cyclone Mocha.

The injured villager is identified as U Maung Nuchay (57 years old). He went to the mountain behind his village along with another villager, said  his brother-in-law.

"All the houses in our village were destroyed by the cyclonic storm. They went to the mountain forests to find vine ropes for use in damaged  house repair. Maung Nuchay  sustained injuries in his eyes and elbows, but the other one could escape,” he added.

Maung Nuchay was admitted to Rathedaung township hospital immediately. Meanwhile, the attending doctors advised him to go to Sittwe general hospital to treat his  eyes and he was shifted on 31 May. It’s learnt that Maung Nuchay was a hunter, and he is familiar with the area.

The local villagers informed that after the Mocha storm most of the forest fruit-trees in Rakhine State were uprooted. The wild animals, dependent on the forest fruits, now come to the villages looking for
their food.

On 27 May, U Maung Hla Gyi (70) from Dom pipe village under  Rathedaung township was trampled to death by a wild elephant while he was going to his paddy field, said a relative.

The villagers informed that the wild elephants, who used to graze in Mayu Taung range, now come to the residential villages very frequently due to the food scarcity.

"Now the elephants come to the nearby areas of villages looking for their food. It has increased after the storm. During the night hours, the wild elephants regularly  reach the village,” added the villagers.

Cyclone Mocha hit the Rakhine coastal region on 14 May and destroyed residential houses as well as many tall trees in the mountain forests. It has compelled the animals to come out looking for food.