[Bengia Ajum]
SEIJOSA, 12 Sep: The process to release two Asiatic black bear cubs currently under the care of the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) here in Pakke-Kessang district has started with them having been shifted to a temporary release site in the core area of the reserve.
The animals were moved to the core area on Thursday, in the presence of local gaon burahs and the authorities of the PTR.
Named Papum (male) and Tezu (female) the cubs were rescued from Sagalee in Papum Pare and Kolortang village near Tezu in Lohit district. The male cub was initially rescued in April this year from Sagalee by the range forest officer of Kheel, who later handed over the cub to the Itanagar Zoological Park. Later, the cub was brought to the CBRC and has been under its custody since then.
In a similar incident on 7 July, a resident of Kolortang village found an Asiatic black bear cub near TB road on the Tezu-Hayuliang road. Worried that the mother bear might be nearby, the incident was immediately reported to the forest department. Despite multiple attempts, the team could not locate the mother bear, rousing suspicions that she may have fallen victim to some illegal hunter.
As the cub was too young to survive on its own in the wild, it was temporarily shifted to the Mini Zoo-cum-Rescue Centre in Lower Dibang Valley district. On 9July, it was placed under the care of the CBRC team.
Since then, both the cubs have been hand-raised in the animal nursery, where they received food and enrichment such as old barks and branches, to help them develop essential survival skills such as climbing and balancing for their future in the wild.
During the period of their stay in the temporary release site, the cubs will start the process of acclimatisation. During this period, they will be guided by an animal keeper as they explore the forest and learn to fend for themselves.
“Once they demonstrate independent behaviour, they will be fitted with radio transmitters to track their ranging patterns and survival in the wild before the final release,” said CBRC Head Dr Panjit Basumatary.
He said also that rehabilitating orphaned animals is always a challenging task, but the CBRC is committed to putting forth the utmost effort to successfully send them back to the wild.
PTR DFO Satyaprakash Singh stated that shifting of these bear cubs in the core of the PTR is a significant step towards their release and integration into the wild ecosystem.
“Our commitment to their wellbeing reflects our dedication to the broader conservation efforts in the Pakke Tiger Reserve. The community must understand that protecting wildlife and their habitats is essential for maintaining the ecological balance,” he added.
CBRC ecologist Subhasish Arandhara said, “Hand-raised cubs develop a dependence on their keepers/caretakers. This dependence gradually diminishes during the acclimatisation process in situ, while we prepare them for eventual release into the wild. “
