NAGPUR: Even as habitats outside protected areas (PAs) are under severe threat from growing population and biotic pressures, two sloth bears delivered four cubs in separate incidents outside PAs in Bhandara district.
The first incident was reported on November 6, by farmer Dharamdas Gadpayle, who sighted the cubs and a sloth bear inside a canal culvert in Jamnapur on Sakoli-Nagzira road. Gadpayle alerted foresters, who are now monitoring the spot.
Earlier, forest officials had closed one side of the pipe opening, but opened it later to let the sloth bear select her path. "Water and food is being placed at the other end of culvert, which opens towards the forest," said officials.
The second case was reported on November 10 from Chiklabodi, near Koka wildlife sanctuary, Bhandara, where a sloth bear delivered two cubs three days ago in a house under repairs.
"I heard loud noises of some animal in the house of my brother Salamuddin Shamshuddin Sheikh during the night of November 9. The house is vacant since it is under repairs. Next morning, when I went there, I was shocked to see a sloth bear and cooing sounds of the cubs. I immediately alerted foresters and blocked the door opening towards the village by placing bricks," says Abdul Rahim Khan Pathan of Chiklabodi.
"The house has an opening towards the forest, and the bear must have entered from that side. We have closed all paths, except the one which leads the animal to the forest," said Anil Kumar, project head of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). NGO Save Ecosystem & Tiger (SEAT), Bhandara, too has pitched in to convince villagers not to disturb the animal.
"A video of the animals show that the cubs have not even opened their eyes, and the sloth bear, which is very protective about its cubs, may not leave the place for 20 days until the cubs open their eyes," says Kumar.
Lakhni RFO BD Koli said, "In January, a leopard had mauled 5-year-old Kushi Sarathe in a farm in the same village. People turned violent then, and hence we don't want to take any chances and have posted two foresters at the spot in two shifts. Villagers have been cooperating. We are also feeding the bear mahua and ber fruits. Arrangement for water has also been made."
Shahid Khan of SEAT said locals have been alerted and told to move in groups, talk loudly, and keep sticks with them as a matter of precaution.
This is the third incident in last two years in Bhandara district where bear delivered cubs in dilapidated structures. In November 2015, a sloth bear had delivered two cubs in Aategaon village outside New Nagzira wildlife sanctuary.
Gadchiroli honorary wildlife warden Uday Patel says sloth bears are particularly vulnerable to loss of habitat because of their reliance on places most readily used and developed by people. There have been cases of sloth bears delivering cubs in abandoned quarters. "We need to create artificial caves inside PAs to save the situation," he feels.
The first incident was reported on November 6, by farmer Dharamdas Gadpayle, who sighted the cubs and a sloth bear inside a canal culvert in Jamnapur on Sakoli-Nagzira road. Gadpayle alerted foresters, who are now monitoring the spot.
Earlier, forest officials had closed one side of the pipe opening, but opened it later to let the sloth bear select her path. "Water and food is being placed at the other end of culvert, which opens towards the forest," said officials.
The second case was reported on November 10 from Chiklabodi, near Koka wildlife sanctuary, Bhandara, where a sloth bear delivered two cubs three days ago in a house under repairs.
"I heard loud noises of some animal in the house of my brother Salamuddin Shamshuddin Sheikh during the night of November 9. The house is vacant since it is under repairs. Next morning, when I went there, I was shocked to see a sloth bear and cooing sounds of the cubs. I immediately alerted foresters and blocked the door opening towards the village by placing bricks," says Abdul Rahim Khan Pathan of Chiklabodi.
"The house has an opening towards the forest, and the bear must have entered from that side. We have closed all paths, except the one which leads the animal to the forest," said Anil Kumar, project head of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). NGO Save Ecosystem & Tiger (SEAT), Bhandara, too has pitched in to convince villagers not to disturb the animal.
"A video of the animals show that the cubs have not even opened their eyes, and the sloth bear, which is very protective about its cubs, may not leave the place for 20 days until the cubs open their eyes," says Kumar.
Lakhni RFO BD Koli said, "In January, a leopard had mauled 5-year-old Kushi Sarathe in a farm in the same village. People turned violent then, and hence we don't want to take any chances and have posted two foresters at the spot in two shifts. Villagers have been cooperating. We are also feeding the bear mahua and ber fruits. Arrangement for water has also been made."
Shahid Khan of SEAT said locals have been alerted and told to move in groups, talk loudly, and keep sticks with them as a matter of precaution.
This is the third incident in last two years in Bhandara district where bear delivered cubs in dilapidated structures. In November 2015, a sloth bear had delivered two cubs in Aategaon village outside New Nagzira wildlife sanctuary.
Gadchiroli honorary wildlife warden Uday Patel says sloth bears are particularly vulnerable to loss of habitat because of their reliance on places most readily used and developed by people. There have been cases of sloth bears delivering cubs in abandoned quarters. "We need to create artificial caves inside PAs to save the situation," he feels.
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