New Delhi: Five sloth bear cubs were rescued from two persons in Munger district in the eastern Indian state of Bihar yesterday by a joint team of forest and police officials, an official investigating in the case said.

Acting on a tip-off, the team led by R. N. Jha, the Range Officer of Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary raided their house in Navinagar in the Kharagpur Sub-division which led to the recovery of the cubs.

The accused, Mohammad Noor Hassan and Mohammad Islam (Kalandars) were booked under various sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

“They bought them from a mela (Bazaar), which is organized annually during a local festival in Pather Chapri in Birbhum district of West Bengal.” Manoj Kumar Singh, DFO Munger Forest Division told to WTI.

A decision, whether to send them to a life time care centre or to rehabilitate them for release is being considered.

Dr. R. K. Singh a member of the State Board for Wildlife (Bihar) said the Chief Wildlife Warden has agreed to look into the feasibility of their rehabilitation.

Currently, the bear cubs were shifted to the state zoo in Patna and will remain here till a final decision is taken.

Sloth bears are protected by the schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Cubs are captured from the wild to be trained as performing bears, which is a traditional livelihood for Kalandars.

WTI and its partner the World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA) have initiated a project for the welfare of the Kalandars and to rehabilitate the rescued bears.

Till date, about 27 Kalandar families have been benefited through alternative livelihood schemes provided by the project, and more than a dozen bears were rescued and rehabilitated.