Indore: City zoo is on verge of setting a new record as it possesses the longest living sloth bear in the state. If its health remains well over next month, 35-year-old Chotu will break record by being the longest living bear in India under captivity. Chotu will turn 36 next month and will cross the last set record by a bear in Bangaluru who died shortly before turning 36. In fact, Chotu is living his ‘bonus period’, as a normal lifespan of a sloth bear is 20 years. Though lifespan increases by a couple of years in captivity, it rarely crosses 30s. Other species of bears like polar bear and black bear have lived as long as 39 years. However, there are no records of sloth bears living so long and healthy.
The possible reason could be that sloth bears are found in India. The sloth bear is a myrmecophagous bear species, a native of Indian subcontinent. City zoo incharge Dr Uttam Yadav said it is amazing to see the bear live so comfortably at such an old age. The lazy bear has some vision problem though. “He does not suffer from any health ailments, which is a blessing at his age,” Yadav said. Chotu who was born in city zoo weighs between 250 kilograms to 300 kilograms, which is normal for its age. A sloth bear in its prime weighs up to 500 kilograms. “But we need to work more on conservation and habitats for sloth bears in country,” Yadav said.