Five bear cubs rescued from Arunachal villages find refuge at Pakke Tiger Reserve
The cubs are now receiving specialized care at CBRC.
Five Asiatic black bear cubs over the past two weeks.
Guwahati, May 19: The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) team at the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in Pakke Tiger Reserve has been busy with the arrival of five Asiatic black bear cubs over the past two weeks. Rescued from various regions of Arunachal Pradesh, the cubs are now receiving specialized care at CBRC, a facility jointly operated by WTI, the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Environment and Forest, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
On May 2, two female cubs were found near an agricultural field in Sitang village. The Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary team quickly relocated them to the Mini-Zoo-cum-Rescue Centre in Roing for temporary care. The cubs’ mother is believed to have been poached.
On May 8, the cubs were transferred to CBRC in the presence of Mito Rumi, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Dr Kabuk Lego, Range Forest Officer (RFO), and CBRC staff, including ecologist Dr Subhasish Arandhara, veterinarian Dr Simu Balo, and animal keepers Doluk Dagang and Anthony Ngorang.
Soon after, three more cubs were reported in Tawang district. On April 17, villagers collecting firewood spotted a mother bear with three cubs, but the mother disappeared, leaving the cubs to wander into nearby villages after two days.
One male cub was found in Sherbang village under Lumla circle, and two female cubs were located in villages within Dudunghar circle. Unaware of wildlife protection laws, villagers concerned cared for the cubs until the Tawang DFO intervened, directing that they be brought to Lumla Range. On May 11, the cubs were handed over to CBRC by the Tawang DFO and RFO, with Dr Panjit Basumatary, manager and head of CBRC, present. There is hope that the mother bear may still be alive in the area.
The CBRC team is now providing expert veterinary care and rehabilitation to all five cubs, with the goal of reintroducing them to their natural habitat once they can survive independently.
“With five new bear cubs, we’re intensifying our efforts in nursing, rehabilitation, and identifying acclimatization sites. Our team of keepers, veterinarians, and biologists is committed to preparing these cubs for their return to the wild while monitoring two cubs released in March,” said Dr Subhasish Arandhara, WTI ecologist.
Satyaprakash Singh, DFO of Pakke Tiger Reserve, praised the community’s compassion, stating, “We deeply appreciate the care shown toward these young bears. Collective efforts are vital to ensure the survival of our precious wildlife.”
By
Staff Reporter