The sloth bear is the most widespread of the four bear species found in India. More popularly known as “Baloo” from the Jungle Book, sloth bears are found across a large variety of habitats below an altitude of 1,500m, such as tropical forests, scrubland and grasslands. Sloth bears are regionally extinct in Bangladesh and [are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List due to extensive habitat loss and degradation. Additionally, the rising demand for bear bile in Eastern Asia makes the sloth bear susceptible to the illegal wildlife trade. Historically, sloth bears were used for the disturbing “Dancing Bears” practice by the Kalahadhar Tribe. Fortunately, persistent efforts from NGOs, such as Wildlife SOS has ended this horrific practice and rescued all 600 affected bears.
Another major threat to the sloth bear is human-wildlife conflict. Interactions between these bears and humans peak during the flowering of the mahua trees in the summer. The mahua fruit is crucial for the livelihoods of indigenous and tribal communities, as they are used not only as fodder and fuel but also to brew local alcohol. However, sloth bears often forage these fruits during the summer, which often leads to fatal human-bear conflicts in central India.
In this episode, I interview Dr. Nishith Dharaiya, the co-founder of the Wildlife Conservation Biology Research Foundation. He is also the co-chair of the IUCN Sloth Bear Expert Team. In this episode, Nishith talks candidly about his conservation and research work on sloth bears in Gujarat over the last few decades. We also revist his PhD on Gir’s lions. Tune in to also learn about the work being done by WCB Research Foundation.
Episode 49: Conserving Gujarat’s Sloth Bears with Nishith Dharaiya, Founder of WCB Research Foundation