The Forest Department team captured a wolf in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich on Tuesday morning. So far, five wolves have been caught, with one remaining.
Officials have not taken it to the Forest Department's rescue shelter.
DFO Ajeet Pratap Singh told news agency ANI, "We have caught the fifth wolf. One is left, and we will catch it soon. We are trying our best every day to capture the remaining wolf."
In recent weeks, a pack of six man-eating wolves has terrorized the district, killing at least eight children and attacking more than 40 people. The Forest Department captured the fourth wolf on August 29.
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After the capture of fifth wolf, Chief Forest Conservator of Central Zone, Renu Singh calling it a big success said, "This is very interesting because we received information yesterday that it lifted a goat in Nathuwapur. Tracing its pug marks, we set up nets and waited because the rescue operation could not have taken place at night. We carried out the operation in the morning and captured it early morning...We changed our strategy because it was changing its behaviour."
"Earlier, we used to fly the drone right on top of a wolf and pick it. But they got smarter and started running away as soon as they spotted the drone. This time, we located, saw the pug marks but we stopped the drone in final operation...We then picked it up...One more wolf remains and we will make all the efforts to rescue it at the earliest...It will be sent to a zoo," she added.
News agency ANI shared a video of the wolf locked in a cage. False reports of wolf sightings and large crowds gathering at search locations have posed significant challenges for officials involved in the hunt for the man-eating wolves. Efforts are ongoing to capture the pack responsible for eight deaths in the area. To combat the threat, the department has deployed 165 forest personnel and 18 shooters, with the support of thermal camera-equipped drones and snap cameras set up throughout the forests.
Locals have been told to not to sleep outdoors and have established night shelters in panchayat buildings and government schools for the homeless. A campaign has been initiated to install doors in homes to protect against wolves and other wild animals.
