APW injured in gaur attack during patrol in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
An Anti-Poaching Watcher was injured by a gaur while patrolling the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. The Forest Department is providing medical support and has urged the public to avoid spreading misinformation regarding compensation.
Why it matters
This highlights the physical risks faced by frontline conservation staff and the challenges of managing wildlife-human conflict in protected areas.
A 43-year-old Anti-Poaching Watcher (APW) sustained injuries after being attacked by a gaur during routine patrolling in the Jeeragahalli Range of the Hasanur Division in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on Saturday (July 18, 2026).
The injured watcher, Jeyasekar, a resident of Eraganahalli village in Thalavadi taluk, was on patrol in the Belathur beat inside the reserved forest when the incident occurred.
Forest Department officials rushed him to the Government Upgraded Primary Health Centre in Thalavadi, where he was administered first aid. Medical examination and X-ray revealed a fracture in his right hand. Based on medical advice, he is to be shifted to a higher medical centre in Sathyamangalam or Coimbatore for specialised treatment.
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