Key Points

The Dehing Patkai National Park spreads across Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of eastern Assam.

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) Director Sonali Ghosh said that the two orphaned Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) cubs, rescued from Dissoi Reserved Forest in Jorhat on February 26 (2025), have successfully begun their new life with their translocation to Dehing Patkai National Park for eventual release in the wild. This also marks an important milestone in Assam’s wildlife conservation journey, she said.

According to the KNPTR Director, the cubs, estimated to be between four and six weeks old at the time, were spotted alone by a local youth and handed over to the Na-Kachari Beat Office under Jorhat Forest Division. As subsequent surveys found no trace of their mother, they were transferred to CWRC in Kaziranga for specialised care.

Ghosh said that established in 2002, the CWRC in Kaziranga is a joint initiative by the Assam Forest Department, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

The official said that at CWRC, the cubs were treated for mild dehydration and nurtured in the small mammal nursery under the close supervision of Dr Bhaskar Choudhury and his team. They were reared on a canine milk replacer and gradually introduced to conditions that would prepare them for survival in the wild.

The rehabilitation of orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs in CWRC followed the Asiatic black bear rehabilitation protocols of the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC), Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh.

The KNPTR Director stated that the rehabilitation process focused on ensuring proper nutrition, maintaining natural behaviours, and minimising human imprinting to enhance their chances of successful reintegration. In line with best practices, a scientific survey was undertaken to determine a suitable release site. While the Dissoi Reserved Forest was considered, its proximity to human settlements and high disturbance made it unsuitable for bear rehabilitation.

A systematic evaluation based on natural cover, distance from habitation, prey availability, and local community awareness identified Dehing Patkai National Park as the most suitable release site. Offering rich vegetation, abundant natural resources, minimal human interference, and committed support from forest staff and local communities, the park emerged as the ideal new home for the cubs, Ghosh pointed out.

After getting approval from Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam, the CWRC team successfully translocated the cubs to Dehing Patkai National Park on Sunday (August 17), giving them a genuine chance to thrive in the wild.

Ghosh said that the journey of these Asiatic black bear cubs, from their rescue in Jorhat to their care at CWRC and finally to their release in Dehing Patkai National Park, stands as a powerful example of what science-driven rehabilitation, ethical wildlife management, and community involvement can achieve. It reflects Assam’s growing commitment to protecting its wildlife heritage and ensuring that even orphaned animals are given a second chance at freedom, the senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer said.

- IANS