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India: Dancing Bears

In addition to press release issued by us, International Animal Rescue would like to gratefully acknowledge the invaluable support extended by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, Central Zoo Authority, Forest Departments of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Zoo authority of Karnataka, Bannerghatta Biological Park and also the various state and central Government agencies across India, as well as, our Indian partners Wildlife SOS India along with the coalition of international conservation and animal rescue groups, Free the Bears Fund (FTB) from Australia, One Voice Association France and Wildlife SOS USA for making it possible to rescue the last dancing bears off the streets of India and bringing an end to a centuries-old tradition that inflicted terrible cruelty on thousands of highly endangered sloth bears. We are aware that there are some performing bears still in Nepal and are expected to enter India through the border areas. People sighting any performing bears must contact the Wildlife SOS India helpline +91 9871963535 to have it rescued immediately.

Bear forced to ‘dance&rsquo for tourists

Working in close collaboration with the Indian Government, four international charities initiated the rescue and rehabilitation of the dancing bears in India: International Animal Rescue, Wildlife SOS (India), Free the Bears Fund (Australia), and One Voice Association (France).

The first dancing bear was rescued on Christmas Eve 2002 and rehabilitated in the Agra Bear Sanctuary run in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department. Since then more than 550 bears have been rescued and their owners resettled in alternative livelihoods. A parallel anti-poaching unit was also established to stop bear cub poaching in the forests of India. Hundreds of cubs were saved from a fate worse than death. Poachers were arrested and sent to jail.

Four sanctuaries have been established in collaboration with the State Governments in Agra, Bhopal, Bangalore and West Bengal where the above partnership currently helps provide lifelong care for all the rescued former dancing bears. We are committed to maintaining international standards of veterinary care for these animals for as long as they will live. Reformed Kalandars who used to dance the bears are employed as keepers or as part of the anti-poaching network.

In the current financial climate, we know how precious every penny is that people choose to donate to worthy causes. By donating to one of the four charities mentioned above, you can be assured that your money is being spent directly on the rescue and first-class care of the dancing bears.

Thank you all for all your support as we move closer to our goal of removing the last bears from the streets of India!

» International Animal Rescue
» Wildlife SOS
» Free the Bears Fund
» One Voice Association

Bear Facts

There are approximately 8,000 sloth bears left in the wild in the Indian sub-continent.
Sloth bears are classified by the World Conservation Union as being vulnerable.
They live to over 20 years in the wild.
Their diet consists mainly of ants and termites.
It has been illegal to own or ‘dance’ a bear in India since 1972.
However, illegal trade continues with cubs illegally captured from the wild and sold.
They rarely survive more than seven to eight years as dancing bears.
Threats to their survival include being poached from the wild for use as dancing bears or for their body parts for use in Traditional Chinese Medicines.

> Sloth Bears: Read Barbara Hadley’s study (PDF 132k)
> Agra: Learn more about our bear sanctuary in Agra
> Bannerghatta: Learn more about our bear sanctuary in Bannerghatta

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