Bears are the largest terrestrial mammals found in wilderness of Pakistan. Presence of bears in wild forests enhances the charm and natural beauty of its wilderness and work as stabilizing factor in the ecosystem . Bears, being large and powerful carnivore, also have a value as a natural forest guard, ensuring protection of other animals as well as the forests, which in its turn are responsible for buffering the climatic changes, ensuring precipitation, checking soil erosion and slowing the silting of the natural and man-made dams and ensuring fertility of mountain soil to support agriculture and natural vegetation.

Male bear is comparatively larger in size as compared to female bear. In summers they store food in their body in the form of fats and in winters enter into hibernation, utilizing this stored food.

Three species of bears have been reported from wilderness of Pakistan, which include, Baluchistan Black Bear, Himalayan Black Bear and Himalayan Brown Bear, Baluchistan bear is now believed to be extinct from wild, mainly ascribed to over-harvesting of the forest resources and over hunting of bears. The two other species are confronted with similar problems and may possibly lead to a similar end. if present conditions persist. Bears, in Pakistan, are maintained under captive/ semi-captive conditions in four different ways.

• By gypsies
• By landlords
• In zoos and public parks
• In Kund Bear Sanctuary

Captivity of this large, elegant and charming animal far from their natural habitat in any form is not justified. Anyway they are maintained in poor and unhygienic conditions and in painful congested environment in the custody of gypsies, landlords and/or zoos/public parks.

Bears confiscated from bearbaiting events and cubs rescued from poachers/ traders have a doubtful fate if directly released back in their wild habitat. These bears are wounded and tethered. Such bears, with most of their teeth and claws removed, can possibly never adapt to life in the wild. The rescued cubs can also not survive in nature without direct protection of their mothers. Such bears need to be rehabilitated under semi-captive conditions, very close to those of their natural habitats. Kund Bear Sanctuary was designed and created in 2001, and is being maintained for providing home-like conditions to such bears, which can not be immediately released in wild. The animals found in such conditions are released in the Kund Bear Sanctuary, where these are given the best medical treatment, nutritious food and clean drinking water and an open space for their free movement .The sanctuary has the following facilities:

After confiscation, bears and/ or cubs are initially  examined by a qualified veterinary practitioner and are given the first aid, if required, in the field. These animals are then safely and carefully shifted to Kund Bear Sanctuary. Before their release, the newly admitted animals are first kept in the clinic, under the direct supervisionn of the qualified vet, The clinic has all the facilities for treatment and minor operations of bears. In case of any emergency the bears are shifted to this clinic where they are being treated.

After the initial treatment and healing of all wounds, the bears are first released in to quarantines on trial basis. Quarantine is an area having different types of vegetation, and is provided with night quarter and fresh water pool for the bears. During period of stay of animal in quarantines, the bear is kept on a regular check and is provided with high energy vitamin-rich food, as per demands of the individual animal till it overcomes its physical weakness and anemic condition. Quarantine also has nature-like condition with supplementary obstacles, like, logs, etc., facilitating the animals to play.

After a successful quarantine in the lush green area, when the bear attains a normal physique and health along with a satisfactory normal wild- behavior, it is released in a large enclosure wild environment.

Enclosures in Kund Bear Sanctuary are designed considering the natural requirements of bears, and have plenty of fresh water in ponds, natural vegetation and trees and places to make dens. Environment of the enclosure is enriched in different ways so that animal can perform different natural activities.

The introduction of a new bear in the sanctuary is be leaved to be successful, when the animal starts fixing its territory by competing with other bears and becomes aware of the facilities available to it.

A feeding and monitoring race has been established between black bears and neelum’s enclosure fences. The main purpose was to observe full time activities of the bears in their enclosures. Its construction in Kund, Bear Sanctuary alleviated the standard of the sanctuary, and gives an improved impression to the sanctuary.

For advancement of the Sanctuary, the development of the animal control race was necessary. It is the best and easy way to retrieve bears from any enclosure and quarantine. Release and check up of new arriving  bears has become possible and easy through this. Many other things have been supporting factors have been  designed in it for recovery and sedation of the new arrivals. It is the best place for 24 hrs observation of a bear, rather than in quarantine.

For better gas supply facilitation, Bio Gas Plant was installed in the Sanctuary. it is economical as well as suitable for the sanctuary.

As the confiscated bears are tethered, therefore their feed is prepared in such a way that it can be easily  consumed. Bears are fed three to four times a day.

Major component of their feed include bread and seasonal  fruits, along with dry fruits feed as food enrichments.

Wild insects, mainly termites and ants, constitute and  important part of bear’s diet, which produce acidic conditions in the stomach to facilitate process of digestion.

There is also  an educational hall in sanctuary for  conferences  and seminars. conferences/ Seminor are conducted at different intervals on relevant wildlife and bear management issues.