Itanagar, April 23, 2024: A male Asiatic Black Bear cub was rescued from the Sagalee region of Papum Pare district by the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Arunachal Pradesh. The cub, about a month old, most probably had been separated from its mother who is believed to have been the victim of poaching. It was handed over to the Centre for Bear Rehabilitaion and Conservation (CBRC) team by Dr. Sorang Tadap, veterinarian, Itanagar Zoological Park on the 24^th of April for hand-raising and rehabilitation. This marks the 85^th bear cub that has been received by CBRC since it started in 2004.

CBRC is the only facility in India, dedicated to hand-raising and rehabilitating orphaned bear cubs. Upon evaluation by WTI veterinarians, the cub was found to be significantly dehydrated, weighing a mere 2.3 kg. Without delay, the team took swift action to stabilize the orphaned cub. Over the week after admission, the cub gained an additional 0.15 kg and is showing promising signs of improved health and activity.

Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) is jointly run by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Department of Environment and Forest Arunachal Pradesh. The project is supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Kirloskar Ebara Pumps Limited.

The Asiatic Black Bear is listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, it faces numerous challenges, including shrinking habitats due to logging, agriculture expansion, roadway networks, and dams. However, the primary threat has been poaching, especially in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Bear meat, bile and claws hold a huge commercial value in the illegal wildlife trade market. Young cubs are often orphaned due to hunting/poaching of the mother and are either picked up to be sold or kept at home as pet.

Asiatic Black Bear cubs spend between two and three years under the close supervision of their mothers to learn the vital survival skills. At CBRC, these orphaned cubs undergo similar rehabilitation process that includes hand-raising, acclimatization and weaning, alongside regular walks in the forest with experienced animal keepers, to help it adapt to its surroundings. Eventually, the cub is released back into the wild. However, the chances of survival of orphaned cubs get drastically reduced in human controlled environments. Alongside rescue and rehabilitation of bear cubs, the team at CBRC, in collaboration with the forest department, also undertake awareness drives, urging a complete stop to the hunting of the species.