 Rescued Bears |
Introduction
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
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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:
Clinic
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.
Quarantines
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.
Enclosures
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.
Feeding
and Monitoring Race
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.
Animal
Control Race
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.
Bio
Gas Plant
For better gas supply facilitation, Bio Gas Plant was installed in the Sanctuary.
it is economical as well as suitable for the sanctuary.
Feed
As the
confiscated bears are tethered, therefore their feed is prepared in such a
way that it can be easil y
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. As the bears in captivity are likely to consume less insects in their
diets than their
requirements, therefore, they may be unable to digest their food properly,
having an adverse
effect on their health. In the sanctuary we have started culturing these
insects
(mainly termites),
which are later on offered to animals in their diet.
Details of feed
given to per animal per day are represented by graph given below.
Per day per bear feed chart in grams
Conference
hall
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.
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Religious based Awareness
Bear Census
Landlord
Networking
Alternative
Livelihood
Anti Poaching
