Karnataka: Snare-trapped sloth bear rescued by forest officials

Bengaluru: A three-year-old female sloth bear was rescued by Wildlife SOS & the Karnataka Forest Department after they found it trapped in a deadly snare in the village of Kora Hubali in Tumakuru. The bear was injured by the snare and is under treatment.

Forest officials observed that a bear was limping around a rocky area and noticed that it was injured. Officials immediately contacted the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre, a Wildlife SOS team for aid.

Once the team arrived, they had to immobilise the bear using a sedative injection from a distance and transported him back to the Range Forest Office for a completed medical examination. Dr Arun A Sha, from Wildlife SOS, noted that it was a 3-year-old female and her situation was grave with a snare wrapped around her right forelimb. The wounded area was gangrenous with a bacterial infection. She was also extremely starved and dehydrated.

The snare was removed carefully and the wound was cleaned and dressed thoroughly. Further, the bear was relocated to the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre for further treatments.

Snare traps are usually used by farmers to protect their fields from animals and have become popular due to their low- manufacturing cost and capability to trap any animal.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder & CEO, Wildlife SOS, said, "Animals caught in snare traps struggle for hours or even days before succumbing to injuries or thirst and hunger. Some animals like sloth bears and tigers have even chewed off their limbs to free themselves. Yet even for animals who manage to escape, the situation is dire; They often die in days or weeks due to the brutal injuries the snare trap inflicts. The female sloth bear in Tumakur was found on time. Otherwise, she too would have spent days in pain and suffering."

Doctors reported that the sloth bear has started consuming food and is gaining back lost health. Since a full recovery is a long way, she will be under close observation in the coming days.

"Sloth bears are very common in this area since the habitat is suitable for bears. We are constantly engaged in raising awareness about these animals and informing people about the damage done by snares," said Nataraj, Range Forest Officer, Tumkur.