|
The trade in dancing bears has been illegal in India since 1972, but bears are still beaten and mutilated to force them to 'dance.' International Animal Rescue works with Indian partners Wildlife SOS to end this barbaric practice and cares for the bears in sanctuaries throughout India.
 Dancing bear rescue
International Animal Rescue has been working to end the suffering of the dancing bears in India since 2002 when we joined with Wildlife SOS to open a sanctuary for them. The rehabilitation of the bears' handlers is an integral part of the project, ensuring they will never need to revert to bear dancing as a way of earning a living.
How it works
International Animal Rescue supports the rehabilitation of the Kalandar tribespeople who 'dance' the bears. They are taught new trades to help them support their families and enjoy a better way of life. Every Kalandar who surrenders his bear receives 50,000 rupees to start up a business. Examples include a cycle repair shop, a carpet weaving business, local grocery shops and rickshaw drivers. In return the Kalandars sign a legally binding contract promising never to acquire another bear on pain of arrest, imprisonment and seizure of all assets in order to repay the start-up loan. Some Kalandars who had a genuine bond with their bears have even been employed at the bear sanctuaries.
 Bear rehabilitation
After a three month period in quarantine, once they are known to be free of disease, the rescued bears are released into socialisation enclosures where they meet other bears. The bears in our care have been horrifically abused during their lives and it takes time for them to adjust to their new surroundings and learn to trust the people caring for them. This is an even greater challenge for the blind bears which are particularly frightened and unsure. In Agra and Bannerghatta the blind bears live in special, relatively small enclosures where they learn to feel safe and secure. All the rescued bears are provided with regular environmental enrichment to stimulate and amuse them.
Once the sighted bears have spent time living with other bears and been pronounced fit by the vets and keepers, they are released into the wider forest. The freedom to roam among the trees and dense vegetation allows the bears to behave just as they would in the wild, but within the safety of the sanctuaries. Dens built out of local stone give shelter from the heat of the day and the bears can play and cool off in the numerous pools.
A detailed picture is built up of the health of each bear. Many require extensive dental surgery to relieve the pain of having their teeth viciously removed.
 The Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) lies a few kilometres north of the famous Taj Mahal in the north of India. It is run by our Indian partners Wildlife SOS and their expert team of vets and keepers.
Construction of the facility was initially funded by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). When the basic building work had been done, International Animal Rescue agreed to provide the extra funds needed to get the sanctuary up and running. Since taking the first six bears into Agra on Christmas Eve 2002, the project has proved so successful that by the end of 2008 five hundred bears had been rescued. The majority are housed in Agra, others at a second sanctuary in Bannerghatta near Bangalore in the south and a small number at a temporary holding centre in Bhopal, central India.
The Agra and Bannerghatta sanctuaries are fully equipped to treat and rehabilitate the rescued bears. A state of the art veterinary surgery allows accurate diagnosis of injuries and ailments and swift and efficient treatment. As well as suffering from malnutrition and various diseases, the rescued bears often need surgery for horrific nose wounds and broken teeth and infected gums.
The Agra facility is situated on land within the government-owned Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, under the overall supervision of the Uttar Pradesh Forestry Department. The sanctuary provides a beautiful natural forest habitat where the bears roam freely after a period of quarantine and rehabilitation. The socialisation areas have freshwater bathing pools, purpose-built dens, feeding and resting areas, as well as climbing frames and other tools of other environmental enrichment.
For many years this vast expanse of water was choked with weeds. Now, thanks to the clearance carried out by The Forestry Department, it is recognised as a wetland by the National Wetland Commission. Siberian cranes, Chinese koots and flamingos are among the species that are regularly seen, attracting large numbers of enthusiastic birdwatchers.
In 2006 International Animal Rescue and Wildlife SOS signed an agreement on an additional area of land across the river to expand the facility and provide a spacious home for all the remaining dancing bears. Enclosing and developing the site began almost at once and is still ongoing. More dens are needed, as well as extensive planting of trees and other vegetation to reforest the former farmland. This work will take time and money but eventually, thanks to the kindness and generosity of our supporters, we will create a perfect paradise where bears can rest and recover from the trauma of their lives on the streets.
> Dancing Bears: Learn more about the dancing bears of India
Help us spread the word
Please consider adding a banner to your website. Simply copy and paste the codes below into your page. > More web banners
|
