Conflict: Cheki Wangmo, 33, from Drenzhingpam lives in fear.

Starting from May this year, a Himalayan black bear broke into her single-storey traditional house, eight times.

She is worried that the bear may return at anytime.

During one break in, the bear even clawed away parts of an earth-rammed wall and broke windows.

She has since patched the holes with pieces of corrugated galvanised iron sheets.

She said the bear even destroyed some of her furniture and kitchen utensils during another break in.

Her meat safe and a showcase (Chagam) bear fresh repairs. She had hired a carpenter to repair them for her.

Cheki displays destroyed rice cookers and curry cookers while pointing out that she has already discarded two rice cookers and a water boiler, both of which were destroyed by the bear. She added that the bear has also damaged a number of butter lamp containers as it wanted to eat the butter.

She said that she cannot live in her house with children anymore fearing for their safety.

Cheki lives with her two children and doesn’t have anyone to help her.

The gewog provided her with pots, plates and spoons as she requested for assistance in replacing her losses.

“The bear had broken into my house for the first time when I had gone to attend a funeral in my village,” Cheki said.

The bear returned four days after its first break in causing further destruction.

She said the bear also attacked a man from the village in the morning and broke into her house in the night. The man was treated at the Trongsa hospital.

“I can’t keep on going to my neighbour’s house to sleep every day,” she said.

Cheki requested some men to guard her house. But the bear did not return during the two days that they guarded her house.

Forest officials and police also came to her home and guarded the house for a night but the bear did not show up that night as well.

The bear has also caused destruction to mills in Drenzhing Dangreynang.

Phuntsho, 58, from Pchela said the bear destroyed one of the kitchens made from bamboo mats in his village a few weeks ago. “The bear will again return to feed on peach in the village,” he said.

The same bear had also broke into the Bemji Goenpa in March this year and destroyed partitions.

Nima Wangdi | Trongsa