Bison strays into 80-ft tank, saved

Forest officials had a tough time rescuing a bison that fell into a 80-feet deep water tank in Picnic Chola forest area, here on Wednesday. The animal had strayed out of the dense jungle in search of water when it fell into the tank, even though it was covered with an iron lid.

On a tip-off from tourists, officials led by District Forest Officer (DFO) Venkatesh, rushed to the spot and undertook a four-hour rescue operation that finally bore fruit. “We tried hard to rescue the bison, but the water level was high. Finally, we decided to use a poclain machine for the rescue and after a four-hour struggle, we managed to secure the animal,” the DFO said.

The DFO further said that animals stray out of the Picnic Chola forests frequently in search of food and water, which is scarce in the area.

“Due to the high density of eucalyptus and wattle trees, there are no food grains or saplings for the animals to feed on. The bison too had strayed out of the forest for the same reason,” he said.

The DFO also said that there was a proposal to remove the wattle trees.