Siyang, who is five months old, and three of her peers are ready to move into the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Arunachal Pradesh after finishing the acclimatisation process there under the guidance of experts over the past few months. At just one month old, Siyang, an Asiatic black bear cub, was saved by neighbourhood conservationists. According to one of the center’s workers, the tiny bear was subsequently taken here to the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC), where it was given medical care to get well.
The cub was given the name Siang after the river because it was discovered on the Siang riverbed in a dehydrated state. The four rescued buddies instantly got along, according to the CRBC official, after Siyang met two male cubs, Den and Itna, and another female cub, Devi, at the centre. “Before being released into the wild, orphaned bears must go through the acclimatisation procedure. In December or early January of the next year, these four will be released from the reserve “said he.
According to CBRC head Panjit Basumatary, Siyang is the most active of the four and a favourite of all forest employees. “Walking excursions deep inside the reserve start the day. Before going back home, they play and fight with one another, climb trees, and eat fruits and insects “said Basumatary. The cubs learned to forage during their walks, which are observed by animal keepers and biologists, and they also gradually gained their wild instincts.
“The cubs are ear-tagged, microchipped, and radio-collared for soft release in the wild once they start to resist following their caretakers back to the camp. They are eventually deemed prepared for the wild if they stop going back to their cages. Before being released, they are monitored for a few more months, “explained the CBRC director. The deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), Millo Tasser, made the observation that it takes time for bear cubs to adapt to their new surroundings and get over their closeness to humans, with some developing a stronger bond with their caregivers than others. The ones that have a harder time adjusting are transported to zoos for confined rearing, according to Tassar.
Basumatary went on to say that Asiatic bears are frequently killed by poachers for their skin, leaving their pups orphaned. According to him, habitat loss, deforestation, and other abiotic causes have all contributed to their population drop over time.
(source : PTI)
