Wayanad: After a tiger and leopard scare, the sighting of a bear has heightened vigil in the Wayanad villages of Valliyoorkavu, Thonichal and Chettappalam near Mananthavadi.

The presence of a bear was confirmed from a CCTV footage gathered from a house at Karnamkolly Road at Thonichal. The footage is from 7 am on Monday.

The pugmarks of the bear were also found on a farmland near the house. A team from the Forest Department led by North Wayanad DFO, Martin Lowell and Mananthvadi Range Forest Officer, Remya Raghavan launched a combing operation in nearby plantations. The Rapid Response Team also joined the search, which was stopped in the evening.

With the tracking team unable to locate the bear, experts believe it might have lost its direction to the jungle after entering human habitats.

An animal was spotted around 9 pm on Sunday night behind two houses near the Valliyoorkavu Temple. An autorickshaw driver spotted a bear walking on the road in the locality. The local people patrolled the area and informed the police and forest officials. A team of policemen headed by Mananthavadi Sub-Inspector KK Sobin and Forest Department personnel headed by K Ratheesh, Forest Section Officer, Thrisslery, had joined the search with the public Sunday night.

After alerts were circulated on social media, reports of near sighting came from the neighbouring areas of Adivaram, Arattuthara and Padachikkunnu.