May 20, 2016: In the early hours of May 18, two Himalayan black bear cubs rescued by the Assam Forest Department were admitted to IFAW-WTI’s wildlife transit home at Charaikhola in the Kokrajhar district of Assam.

According to Forest Department sources, the cubs, a male and a female, had been captured by villagers on May 15 and hidden near the Dhansiri Tea Estate in Mazbat, Udalguri district, which lies close to the state border between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Frontline staff from the Dhansiri Forest Division rescued the two cubs with the Indian Army’s assistance. Late on the evening of May 17, they were handed over to the wildlife rescue team of Chakrasila Wildlife Sanctuary. IFAW-WTI veterinarian Dr Brindavan Phangcho and animal keeper Subiram Basumatary, who were also present, transferred the cubs to the transit home at Charaikhola later that night.

“Both bears seem healthy, though they are still under observation. They are being offered milk and fruits and are responding well”, says Dr Phangcho, who also conducted a body morphometry examination. The male cub is 10 inches tall and weighs 3.6kg, while the female is 11 inches tall and weighs 3.7kg.