Sambalpur (Orissa): Being driven around in the streets of Sambalpur, Orissa, in a newly-purchased goods transport vehicle, Mohd Abdul Kalam is a changed man living a changed life.

A former sloth bear trader, Kalam was rehabilitated by the World Society for Protection of Animals – Wildlife Trust of India (WSPA-WTI), as part of their commitment to completely eradicate bear dancing from Indian streets using legal alternative livelihoods to address the root causes for its continued existence.

About 60-years-old now, Kalam was involved in illegal wildlife trade for over three decades. Popularly known as ‘Mittu Chacha’ (literally translated as Parakeet Uncle, as he traded in parakeets) in his community, he traded in a wide variety of live wild animals, apart from sloth bears.

“My entire life revolved around collecting animals from tribal poachers and selling them to people from different backgrounds across India. Somewhere along the way, I came to understand that it was illegal. I gave up trade in other animals but continued providing bear cubs to Kalandars. The demand was high and bears were commonly found in this area. I sold 20-30 bear cubs a year when the trade was in its peak. Kalandars approached me during winter months and “placed orders” for cubs; an advance was paid, bear cubs were collected from the wild by my tribal contacts and the cubs were supplied,” Kalam recalls. “At times I felt guilty… separating young animals from their families… but what could I do? I had to fend for my family and that was the only way I had learnt to earn a living.”

Kalam came under the radar of WSPA-WTI several years ago, during a trade control information gathering process.

“Mittu chacha used to be a middle-man and he was well-known among the Kalandars. They came from various states and he provided them the cubs. Our team managed to get in touch with him with great difficulty… He was wary of us, and it was only after a great number of discussions, we managed to convince him to trust us and focus his knowledge for wildlife conservation,” said Rudra Prasanna Mahapatra, Field Officer, WTI.

Since then, WSPA-WTI team members have been evaluating changes in his attitude to ensure that his was a sincere commitment to rehabilitation. During this period, he has assisted the Forest Department authorities on a part-time basis in various capacities. Having formerly hand-reared young bear cubs to ready them for the trade, his skills were used to rear young animals displaced from the wild, for rehabilitation. He has also been employed by WSPA-WTI in surveys pertaining to sloth bear poaching and trade. Kalam also helps WSPA-WTI approach tribespeople involved in illegal wildlife activities to convince them to give up the practice.

“With tribal communities, it is a different game altogether. They still consider bears as problem animals and continue to hunt them for meat and body parts. The internal information provided by Kalam has been very valuable to us. He has also begun to help us convince his contacts to give up hunting bear cubs. It is a slow process, but we believe that with a few years of grass root level work, we will be able to contain the problem effectively,”  Rudra added.

As Kalam’s intention for change became clear, he was assisted in selecting a suitable alternative livelihood. In discussion with his family members including his wife, two sons and a daughter, he chose to purchase a vehicle to transport goods.

To ensure accountability among the beneficiaries, WSPA-WTI generally pays only a partial sum for alternative livelihoods. For Kalam, WSPA-WTI provided about 40 % of the cost of the vehicle, while additionally helping him arrange loans for the remaining amount.

“Our efforts to provide alternative livelihood is aimed at ensuring that the beneficiary is never compelled to return to his old ways. We work with them, helping them out in every step for successful graduation to their new lives. This is years-long process but the efforts are worth the result that we aim for… to ensure that the rehabilitated persons do not relapse, so that slowly but surely, bear dancing is completely eradicated from even the remotest areas in India,” said Neil D’Cruze, Wildlife Programmes Officer, WSPA.

“Its strange how my life has changed. It feels good. I was a refugee then, and now I earn a respectable living of about 400 rupees per day. I have just started out. I know that our earning will gradually increase,” Kalam says with a smile, while his younger son Sayeed who operates the vehicle, waits for more business at Golbazar area in Sambalpur.