A video from Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district has triggered outrage after it showed a young man giving a wild bear a bottle of cold drink. The clip, said to be shot for an Instagram reel, shows the man walking up to the bear with a bottle of mango drink “Maaza.” He places the bottle on the ground and steps back while looking at the camera with a smile. The bear is then seen picking up the bottle and drinking from it. According to a report by Hindi Newspaper, the video was recorded in Nara village of Kanker district, Chhattisgarh. Wildlife officials and experts have raised concerns about the act, and the Forest Department has begun searching for the man shown in the footage.
Criticism on Social Media
The video has drawn heavy criticism online. Many users demanded strict action against the man and warned that such behaviour could harm wild animals. Some pointed out that feeding processed food to wildlife can cause long-term damage. One user commented, “Dangerous and careless! Wild bears are not for social media stunts—respect wildlife.” Another wrote, “Forest department should also check why a wild bear is roaming in a public area.” A third user said, “Why are people giving unhealthy food to animals? This is meant for humans only.” Someone else remarked, “Maaza is not even safe for humans. We lack civic sense.”
Pattern of risky behaviour
Experts note that this is not the first time such videos have surfaced. Many people have been caught trying to interact with wild animals to gain online attention. Conservationists have often urged the public to behave responsibly around wildlife and avoid actions that endanger both animals and humans. Last month, a Spanish tourist faced outrage after a video showed him pouring beer into an elephant’s trunk. He had posted the clip on Instagram but removed it after severe backlash. Ol Jogi Conservancy in Kenya’s Laikipia County, where the event took place, issued a statement calling the tourist’s behaviour “unacceptable, dangerous and against our values.”
