In yet another horrifying incident indicating intolerance towards wildlife, a female sloth bear and her ten week old bear cub were electrocuted on the periphery of Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve, located in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, India. The orphan baby bear that surprisingly survived the electrocution was found clutching his dying mother tightly and nursing from her.
Six Poachers were identified as having intentionally caused the electrocution of the bear by installing a deadly high voltage wire. The poachers were arrested by Forest Officials and are currently in jail!
The female bear was found in a pathetic paralyzed condition and after investigation; sniffer dogs at the site of the crime followed the trail of the poachers and led the investigators to the doorstep of the poachers who were caught with the tools in their custody. The persons arrested confessed to the crime and have been arrested for poaching a sloth bear under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The Forest Department informed wildlife rescue & rehabilitation NGO Wildlife SOS who immediately sent a rapid response unit to provide medical treatment to the bears. Sadly the female bear’s injuries were so severe that she succumbed to her injuries, leaving her traumatised orphan cub in the care of her rescuers.
The male baby bear was moved to the Wildlife SOS run Agra Bear Rescue Facility for long term medical treatment and lifetime care. He was under a lot of trauma and will require to be under constant medical observation.
Over the years, the population of sloth bears in the wild has been threatened due to loss of habitat and poaching. Sloth bears are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
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Orphaned 10 Week Old Sloth Bear Cub at the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Center in India
The bear cub shortly after his rescue
Wildlife SOS bear keeper feeding the cub at the center
The baby bear arrives at the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Center
