Darwin Taking Care of It
Several men were on their way home after attending a wedding in Papadahandi, Odisha, India, and stopped near a forest for a restroom break. One of the men, Prabhu Bhatara, spotted a wild bear and, against strong advice from his friends, headed over to get a “selfie” with the animal. Bhatara’s friends, watching from a safe distance, captured what happened next on video: the bear attacked him. “Bhatara died on the spot,” said forest ranger Dhanurjaya Mohapatra. A recent study found that 60 percent of all selfie-related deaths occur in India. Rather than kill the animal for doing what came naturally, “The bear is being treated for its injuries,” Mohapatra said. On the other hand, “angry locals” demanded compensation be paid to Bhatara’s family, and forestry officials agreed to cough up 30,000 rupees (US$450). (RC/Hindustan Times, London Independent) ...As long as it provides for their families, we can count on India continuing to account for most selfie deaths.Original Publication Date: 06 May 2018
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 24.
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 24.
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