Five sloth bear cubs being trained for release into the wild

July 2007. Five orphaned bear cubs are receiving their first lessons in being wild from two rangers who help them climb trees, dig for termites and make dens in Pant Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar. The two rangers are acting as surrogate mothers, helping the cubs learn life-skills to survive in the wild, so that they can return home soon. The five sloth bear cubs, each about four-months-old were confiscated by forest officials in April from poachers who were trying to sell them to Kalandars, a tribe who make their living from dancing bears.

These cubs are undergoing special training in the Pant Wildlife Sanctuary as part of a joint initiative of the World Society of Protection of Animals, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Bihar Forest Department.

Teeth removed
Their teeth were knocked out and mouths were found pierced at the time of the rescue - a common practice among Kalandars who insert ropes through their mouths to control them. The cubs were temporarily brought to the Patna zoo for care and treatment. Zoo veterinarian and Dr. N. V. K. Ashraf, Director Wild Rescue of WTI after examining the wounds found that these could heal.

’The cubs would have ended up rest of their lives in a zoo or in a lifetime care centre, since no one in Bihar has ever tried to reintroduce them to the wild,’ Dr. Rakesh Kr. Singh of WTI’s Enforcement Division said. ’The technical assistance promised by WTI for the rehabilitation of the bear cubs has convinced the Chief wildlife Warden to go ahead with the plan.’ Dr. Singh said. ‘It is a big challenge since it will need sound technical expertise and welfare issues to deal with.’

In the recent past, WTI has released Asiatic black bear cubs in deep jungles of the Eastern Indian Arunachal Pradesh state, where cubs are being acclimatized to the environment before they finally become independent. The cubs were brought from Patna zoo to Pant wildlife sanctuary to avert excessive human imprinting and also to develop their natural instincts during the pre-release training. The bears will be finally released in the Malayapur forest range of Bhimband Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a suitable habitat for sloth bears. It expected that once the cubs grow up they would establish their own territories and move into areas where there is a wild population of sloth bears. All the cubs will be radio-collared to monitor their movements and habitat usage after release.

Regaining their natural instincts
’The cubs are rapidly gaining their natural instincts. Since their rescue, their behaviour has changed. They can climb trees, search for ants and termites and dig holes on earth – a sure sign of wilderness,’ said Bipul Chakrabarty, a Scientist with WTI. The cubs now spend most of their time in the jungle and even spend nights in small dens built on trees or in freshly dug holes in the ground, which make it difficult for the keepers to get them back to their night shelter.

Site for final release
Meanwhile, new night shelters in Malayapur forest range in Bhimband Wildlife Sanctuary are near completion. The area will be used for housing the cubs at night and to provide necessary amenities for the keepers.

’The food supplements that are being provided now would be stopped, once they are shifted here. The canine teeth are well developed now and their health is excellent,’ Dr. Ashraf said.
The forest Department and WTI is running a conservation and wildlife awareness programme among the villagers who live near the forest.