A five-month-old bear cub was recently found severely injured and abandoned in the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh, an area in Bandhavgarh National Park in north east India.
The conservation reserve is home to many white tigers, leopards, and deer. An abandoned bear cub would quickly become prey.
The cub was identified to be a female sloth bear, also known as the Indian bear, a species native to India that feeds on fruits, ants, and termites.
Listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, the species is at risk due to habitat loss and degradation.
But this cub was especially in trouble because she was separated from her mother.
Found in a weakened condition by members of the state Forest Department, the cub was quickly assessed as severely dehydrated, anemic, and underweight. She was also unable to walk properly due to an injury on her left hind leg.
Officials transported the bear to Wildlife SOS’s Van Vihar Bear Rescue Facility in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh.
Here, they called her Luna.
“When an injured cub is left alone in the wild, every passing hour is critical,” Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said in a statement.
Wildlife SOS is a nonprofit established in India in 1995, designed to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife in distress, while also working to combat illegal wildlife trade and human-wildlife conflict.
“Luna’s rescue demonstrates what is possible when prompt action, veterinary expertise, and close collaboration with the forest department come together,” Satyanarayan continued.
“Every successful rescue reinforces our commitment to protecting India's wildlife and ensuring that animals in distress receive the urgent care they need.”
Now under expert veterinary care, Luna is being treated for an old hairline fracture near her left hip, which indicates that she had suffered significant trauma before her rescue, believed to be from a fall in the wild.
The bear cub also had a wound on one of the toes on her left paw, a damaged claw, and an ulcer on the footpad, making it hard for her to walk. Now, the wound is cleaned and dressed regularly, and she is responding well to care.
“With age on her side, the cub has shown encouraging signs of healing,” an update about Luna on Wildlife SOS’s website reads. “Although naturally wary of people, she is beginning to form a trusting bond with her caregiver, who brings to her lots of honey-laden treats!”
A press release from Wildlife SOS shared that she is now eating well, gaining weight, and “gradually regaining her playful nature.”
These are all encouraging signs for her recovery.
“Young wild animals deserve the chance to heal in a safe and nurturing environment,” Geeta Seshamani, co-founder and secretary of Wildlife SOS, said in a statement.
“It is heartening to see Luna gradually regain her confidence and playful spirit, reminding us why every rescue matters.”
While it’s unclear if Luna will be released back into the wild, veterinarians are optimistic that she will make a full recovery.
“Ensuring the survival of this young cub was our foremost priority,” Shri Vijay Kumar, IFS director at Van Vihar National Park, said.
“The Van Vihar veterinarians are jointly working with Wildlife SOS expert veterinary team at Van Vihar Bear Rescue Facility [to provide] the specialized treatment and long-term rehabilitation for the bear cub. We look forward to seeing her make a full recovery.”
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Featured Image: Wildlife SOS/Facebook
