CBRC, 12th May 2025: The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) team at the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in Pakke Tiger Reserve has had their hands full with back-to-back arrivals of Asiatic black bear cubs. Over the past two weeks, five young cubs have been rescued from different regions of Arunachal Pradesh and are now under specialised care at CBRC, which is jointly run by WTI, the Department of Environment and Forest, Arunachal Pradesh and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The first rescue occurred on 2 May 2025, when two female bear cubs were spotted near an agricultural field in Sitang village. The Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary team responded swiftly and relocated the cubs to the Mini-Zoo cum Rescue Centre in Roing for temporary care. The cubs’ mother is suspected to have fallen victim to poaching.

On 8 May 2025, the cubs were officially handed over to CBRC for care and rehabilitation. The handover took place in the presence of Mr. Mito Rumi, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary Division, and Dr. Kabuk Lego, Range Forest Officer (RFO), along with CBRC staff, including Dr. Subhasish (Ecologist), Dr. Simu Balo (Veterinarian), and animal keepers Mr. Doluk Dagang and Mr. Anthony Ngorang.

The two female cubs from Sitang village are currently under the care of the WTI-IFAW team at CBRC | Photo by Team WTI 

Soon after, the team was alerted to the presence of three more bear cubs discovered in separate locations in the Tawang district. One male cub was found in Sherbang Village under Lumla Circle, while two female cubs were located in villages within Dudunghar Circle.

The initial sighting occurred on 17 April 2025, when villagers collecting firewood spotted a mother bear with three cubs. However, the mother soon disappeared, and after remaining in the same area for two days, the cubs began wandering into neighbouring villages.

Concerned villagers—unaware of wildlife protection laws—cared for them until help arrived. Once informed, the DFO of Tawang directed that all three cubs be brought to Lumla Range, where they were handed over to the Forest Department.

On 11 May 2025, they were officially transferred to CBRC by the DFO and RFO of Tawang in the presence of Dr. Panjit Basumatary, Manager and Head of CBRC, WTI. Based on current accounts, there is hope that the mother bear may still be alive in the area. The CBRC team at Pakke Tiger Reserve is now providing all five cubs with expert veterinary care and rehabilitation support. Their goal is to prepare the cubs for eventual reintroduction into their natural habitat once they are capable of surviving independently.

The three cubs from Tawang arrived safely at CBRC and are quite active. | Photo by Team WTI 

With the arrival of five new bear cubs, our team is intensifying efforts in nursing, rehabilitation, and possibly identifying multiple acclimatisation sites. Our keepers, veterinarians, and biologists are all preparing to meet this challenge, ensuring these cubs are well-prepared for their eventual return to the wild.

Satyaprakash Singh, IFS and DFO of Pakke Tiger Reserve, expressed his  appreciation of the compassion shown by the community toward these young bears, and emphasised the importance of collective efforts to ensure the survival of the region’s precious wildlife.

Under the care of the WTI-IFAW team, the cubs will undergo rehabilitation process to help them return back to the wild| Photo by Team WTI 

According to Dr. Panjit Basumatary, Manager & Head, CBRC, bear cubs spend between 1.5-2 years under the close supervision of their mothers, learn vital survival skills. At CBRC, a similar approach is adopted through a rehabilitation process that includes hand-raising, acclimatisation and weaning alongside regular walks in the forest with experienced biologists and animal keepers, to help them adapt to their surroundings. The ultimate goal is to reintroduce these cubs into the wild, giving them a second chance at life in their natural habitat.

Please consider donating to support our efforts in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation: https://donation.wti.org.in