Telugu Actress Abhignya visits rescued sloth bears in Bannerghatta

Bengaluru: Actress Abhignya Vuthaluru, who is well-known in the Telugu entertainment industry, visited the Wildlife SOS Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in Bangalore. She extended her support to the wildlife conservation NGO's efforts and spread awareness about Sloth bear conservation.

Abhignya Vuthaluru is a well-known face in the Telugu film and TV industry and has appeared in quite a few works playing important roles. She is known for her roles in Boys in School (2019), Girls in School (2019) and Dog Lovers (2020). What most people are unaware of, is that Abhignya has been a vocal supporter of animal welfare and conservation, and is a practising vegan.

The actress recently spent a day at the Wildlife SOS Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre, which is home to over 65 Sloth bears that were rescued from the cruel 'dancing' bear tradition, poaching, as well as human-bear conflict situations.

Her visit commenced with a tour of the facility and she also took the opportunity to participate in some fun-filled activities. Abhignya assisted the bear care staff and caregivers in preparing engaging enrichments for the bears. The actress prepared a puzzle feeder enrichment wherein she put grasses and dates inside a hanging ball. The ball coated with peanut butter attracted resident bears Shari and Tulsi, who took the time to relish the enrichment. This was followed by a tour of the free-ranging bear enclosures, the bear hospital, and the green kitchen where eco-friendly cooking is done on-site for the resident bears.

During her tour of the bear hospital and the operation theatre, she interacted with Wildlife SOS veterinarians who explained the various medical equipment and treatment procedures, including a demonstration of tranquilisation through a blowpipe. The day-long visit included an interactive orientation session with the NGO's staff who shed light on the painful history of abuse and cruelty inflicted upon the former 'dancing' bears and the organisation's efforts to help these animals have a better life. Abhignya also pledged her support to the 'Refuse To Ride' campaign of Wildlife SOS, which aims to end riding elephants for tourism and entertainment purposes.

Commenting on her experience, actress Abhignya Vuthaluru said, "To be the voice of the voiceless is something that I always wanted to do and joining this team of 'Wildlife Warriors' is a baby step towards that. Visiting the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre made me aware of the terrible past of Sloth bears. I want to congratulate Wildlife SOS for bringing this issue to light. I urge everyone to come to witness the work done by the team and support in whatever way you can."

The Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS, Kartick Satyanarayan said, "It is encouraging to see prominent figures such as Abhignya Vuthaluru coming forward to support and promote our endeavour to give these bears a better future. She was extremely moved by the stories of our rescued bears and the suffering they had endured at human hands and was kind enough to pledge her support to Wildlife SOS' rescue and rehabilitation efforts."

Established in 2005, the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre is jointly run by Wildlife SOS and the Karnataka Forest Department. It currently houses over 65 rescued bears amidst the lush greens and rocks of the dry-deciduous Bannerghatta National Park, making it the world's second-largest rescue centre for Sloth bears in the world.