Itanagar: Three orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs, under rehabilitation at the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC), have been shifted to a designated pre-release site inside the Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh, marking the beginning of their gradual return to the wild.The male cubs were moved to the site on Sept 24 as part of a multi-month soft-release programme designed to help them acclimatise before they are fully reintegrated into their natural habitat, according to a report from the reserve.A specialised joint team comprising personnel from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the state department of environment, forest & climate change accompanied the bears on a 26-km trek — undertaken on foot and elephant back — to reach the acclimatisation site.Each of the three cubs brings a unique rescue story to this milestone. The first cub was rescued from Doimukh near Itanagar on March 27 when it was four to five weeks old, after being saved from the illegal wildlife trade. The second was handed over by a local resident on March 28 after it was found isolated in an agricultural field. The third was rescued from Dugi village on June 11, at two to three months of age, following a tip-off tracked via social media.Speaking on the initiative, Pakke Tiger Reserve divisional forest officer Dhawan Kumar Rawat said that from rescue to rehabilitation, these young bears are now taking an important step towards returning to the wild, adding that their commitment to the bears’ well-being reflects the reserve’s dedication to broader conservation efforts.The cubs will gradually explore the forest under the supervision of ecologists and animal keepers over the next five to six months until they are equipped for independent survival, WTI’s Dr Panjit Basumatary said.The Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) is classified as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List and enjoys maximum legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.The CBRC, jointly operated by the state forest department and WTI with support from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), has rehabilitated nearly 50 bears since it was established in 2002.The first cub was rescued near Doimukh, close to Itanagar, on March 27 when it was four to five weeks old, after being saved from the illegal wildlife trade. The second was handed over by a local resident on March 28 after it was found alone in an agricultural field. The third was rescued from Dugi village on June 11, at two to three months of age, following a tip-off tracked through social media.“From rescue to rehabilitation, these young bears are now taking an important step towards returning to the wild,” Pakke Tiger Reserve divisional forest officer Dhawan Kumar Rawat said, adding that their rehabilitation reflected the reserve’s broader conservation efforts.The cubs will gradually explore the forest under the supervision of ecologists and animal keepers over the next five to six months, WTI’s Dr Panjit Basumatary said. They will be released fully once they are considered capable of surviving independently.The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and receives the highest level of legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.The CBRC, jointly operated by the state forest department and WTI with support from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, has rehabilitated nearly 50 bears since it was established in 2002.
