Mumbai: 22-year-old man bitten by golden Jackal in Chembur; forest department steps in

The Jackal in a residential society

A 22-year-old man was bitten by a golden Jackal on Monday at 11 am in a residential society in Mumbai's Chembur area.

This is the second reported incident involving such an attack in recent weeks, raising concerns about human-wildlife interaction in the area.

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In response to the second attack in city, the Maharashtra Forest Department has launched plans to increase awareness among residents to prevent similar incidents.

Earlier, a golden Jackal that had wandered off the forest area and entered a residential area last month had bitten a nine-year-old boy in Trombay.

The eyewitnesses had then stated that the incident occurred on the evening of November 14, at around 4.30 pm, when the jackal suddenly appeared from behind and bit Mohammad Ayan Mastan Shaikh on his thigh.

Barkat Nisha Shaikh, the boy's mother, said, "My son was playing outside in our neighborhood when a neighbor came to our house and informed us that he had been bitten by a dog. We rushed to the location, where a girl explained that it wasn't a dog but a jackal. We then quickly took my son to the BMC-run Shatabdi Hospital. So far, he has received three injections, including an anti-rabies shot, and will be given one more injection on December 11."

Speaking with mid-day, she said that she did not believe at first that it was a jackal. Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and NGO RAWW President Pawan Sharma confirmed the incident and said that a Golden Jackal had entered the residential area from nearby mangroves in Trombay and had bitten a child last week. He said that the forest department has since been searching for the animal.

On October 28, mid-day had highlighted how, in a concerning series of events, five jackals had died in the Trombay-Chembur belt over the past month, prompting investigations by the forest department.