Pakke, 12th September 2024: Two orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs, Papum (male) and Tezu (female) at the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, have taken a significant step toward their reintroduction into the wild.

On April 24th, 2024, a one-month-old male Asiatic black bear cub, separated from his mother, was rescued from the Sagalee, Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh. The cub’s mother had likely been illegally hunted. Discovered by a local resident, the cub was promptly handed over to the Range Forest Officer of Kheel (New) Toro Tehsil Range under the Sagalee Forest Division. Following a preliminary health checkup by Dr. Sorang Tadap at the Itanagar Zoological Park, the young bear named ‘Papum’ was admitted to the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) team in Pakker Tiger Reserve.

The cubs were admitted to CBRC earlier this year | Photo by Panjit Basumatary/ WTI.

In a similar incident on 7th July 2024, a resident of Kolortang village found an Asiatic Black Bear cub near TB road at Tezu-Hayuliang road. Worried that the mother bear might be nearby, the incident was immediately reported to the Forest Department. Despite multiple attempts, the team could not locate the mother bear, rousing suspicions that she may have fallen victim to illegal hunting.

As the cub was too young to survive on its own in the wild, it was temporarily shifted to the Mini-Zoo-cum-Rescue Centre in Lower Dibang Valley. On 9th July, the bear named ‘Tezu’ was placed under the care of the CBRC team. The cubs have been hand-raised in the animal nursery, where they received food and enrichment such as old barks and branches, to help them develop essential survival skills such as climbing and balancing for their future in the wild.

Both cubs were relocated to a secure release site for acclimatisation | Photo by Mr. Paro Natung

Both cubs were relocated to a secure release site on September 12th for acclimatization. During this period, they will be guided by an animal keeper as they explore the forest and learn to fend for themselves. Once they demonstrate independent behaviour, they will be fitted with radio transmitters to track their ranging patterns and survival in the wild before the final release said Dr. Panjit Basumatary, Manager and Head of CBRC.

The only facility in India, dedicated to hand-raising and rehabilitating orphaned bear cubs, 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.

Forest Dept, WTI team and community representatives gathered to support bear conservation efforts | Photo by Mr. Paro Natung

The animal has been moved in the witness of Pakke Tiger Reserve (PRT) Park authority including the local elders (Gaownburahs) of Pakke Landscape and hoping this will help to strengthen well-wishers to send a message to the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh— “Not to harm the mother of any wildlife, especially the Asiatic black bear and other species.”

Dr. Panjit Basumatary, Manager & Head, CBRC, said, “Rehabilitating orphaned animals is always a challenging task, but we are committed to putting forth our utmost effort to successfully rewilding them.”

Satyaprakash Singh, IFS, DFO, Pakke Tiger Reserve, said, “Shifting these bear cubs in the core of Pakke Tige Reserve is a significant step towards their release & integration into the wild ecosystem. Our commitment to their well-being reflects our dedication to the broader conservation efforts in the PTR. It is crucial for the community to understand that protecting wildlife and their habitats is essential for maintaining the ecological balance. We must work together to prevent illegal hunting and ensure that such efforts contribute to the survival of our precious species.”

Subhasish Arandhara, Ecologist, CBRC, said, “Hand-raised cubs develop a dependency on their keepers/ caretakers. This dependency gradually diminishes during the acclimatisation process in situ, while we prepare them for eventual release into the wild.”