Bear Necessities

India’s Asiatic black bear, hunted widely for meat and body parts, has a saviour—the centre for bear rehabilitation and conservation in Arunachal Pradesh’s Pakke River Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve.

India’s Asiatic black bear, hunted widely for meat and body parts, has a saviour—the centre for bear rehabilitation and conservation in Arunachal Pradesh’s Pakke River Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve. It is a joint venture between the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare. Founded in 2003 to rehabilitate displaced cubs in the wild, it  has now emerged as a specialised conservation facility. “Since its inception, we have rehabilitated 13 bears,” says Dr NVK Ashraf, chief veterinarian, WTI.