India’s Bear Rescue Movement

The story of how Sloth Bears were rescued from the streets

This summer, I was one of the few people who volunteered in the Wildlife SOS organization at the Bannerghatta Zoo, located in Karnataka. Wildlife SOS is a leader in the National Bear Rescue movement which is supported by the Forest Department and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Bear Rescue movement took its bid starting since the early 90’s when a group of Forest officials travelled through the roads of Agra towards Delhi. In these roads, they observed countless Indian Sloth Bears being put on show for the tourists. The bears were forced to dance and interact in a circus-like way towards the tourists so that its owner could earn money. Being moved by the sight, the Bear Rescue Movement was conceptualised.

Being curious species, Sloth Bears are native to the Indian subcontinent and are sparse in number. The primary diet of the Sloth Bears consists of ants, termites and other underground worms and insects. They have really powerful lungs that can suck hundreds of ants and termites living in their nests. The Sloth Bears also have a curved claw that can dig out the settlement of the underground insects. Similar to cartoons and media, these bears love to consume honey as well.

In recent years, the number of Sloth Bears has significantly reduced. The situation is so alarming that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the species in the Vulnerable category of its Red List. The Bear Rescue Movement in India has worked really hard to curb the exploitation of the Sloth Bears in all the 4 directions.

The main hotspots of where the bears have been successfully rescued from are Rajasthan, Western Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, etc. The owners of these bears are given a government compensation so that they can pursue another stream of livelihood. Once rescued, the bears are transferred to the Bannerghatta Zoo so as to be taken care further by Wildlife SOS.

The problem does not stop here, as Wildlife SOS has to make the bear feel relaxed and comfortable in its new environment. As the bears are not fed their natural diet regularly by their owners, the organization provides dates, honey, stew, etc. to the bears to make them transition to the Zoo life.

Mr Atul, a member working in the Wildlife SOS, stated that the last Sloth Bear was rescued from the roads in the year 2009. Currently, it is thriving peacefully in the Zoo under the supervision of Wildlife SOS. Mr Atul told us that more than 120 Sloth Bears have been rescued and taken care of by the organization. As many of the kind have passed away due to age, the number of Sloth Bear population in the Zoo stands at 61 as on July, 2024.

After visiting the kitchen where the meals of the Bears are being prepared, we visited the animal medical centre of the Wildlife SOS. They gave us elaborate information on the processes followed in treating the Bears as well as the concurrent risks and safety protocols.

Thereafter, me and my fellow volunteers engaged in a process of cleansing the environment of the Bears, by uprooting shrubs and other redundant undergrowth. We also took turns in painting the water pond of the bears so that it looks maintained. Our final effort was in renovating the hanging bed of a blind bear living in the ecosystem.

Finally, when our visit got over and we watched a couple of modules on the Bear rescue centre’s operations. Following the arrival of our return bus, I thanked Mr Atul for his precious time spent in teaching us about an honourable cause.

All in all, there is statistically not a single Sloth Bear being treated wrong in our country right now. But even if the need may arise that a Sloth Bear has to be rescued, Wildlife SOS is always ready, and so am I, to contribute to the welfare of the species.