India is home to four magnificent bear species – the Asiatic black bear, Himalayan brown bear, sloth bear, and sun bear. However, these incredible creatures face a significant threat to their survival as they confront multiple challenges, including poaching for their fur, claws and organs, habitat loss, encroachment on their territories, and retaliatory actions.
The Radio Collaring Project by Wildlife SOS has played a vital role in leading the conservation efforts for the vulnerable sloth bears in Karnataka, as well as for Asiatic black bears and Himalayan bears in Jammu and Kashmir through extensive research work.
Sloth Bear Conservation in India Gains Momentum With Latest Tracking Technology
© Photo : Wildlife SOS
GPS-Enabled Radio-collar and Tracked System
Kartick Satyanarayan, the co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, who is famously known as "The Bear Man of India," explained to Sputnik India how the GPS-enabled radio collar and tracking system operate.
"From laying out barrel traps, tranquilising the bears with the assistance of the forest department, attaching the GPS collars to keeping them under observation for hours before being released back into the wild, the radio collaring process of the bear is a meticulous and careful operation," Satyanarayan said.
Radio telemetry, on the other hand, allows researchers to gain valuable insights into the interactions between individual bears and their natural environment.
Additionally, the team analyses indirect indicators such as scat, foraging behaviour, and pugmarks to effectively monitor the bear population.
Sloth Bear Conservation in India Gains Momentum With Latest Tracking Technology
© Photo : Wildlife SOS
"The information gathered from the GPS collars aids researchers in comprehending the movement patterns, territories, and habitat preferences of the bears. This, in turn, contributes to the development of enhanced strategies for conservation and management," Satyanarayan said.
The data further provides crucial insights into the use of habitat corridors, water and food resources and the impact of infrastructure like roads, he added.
Employing GPS collars to understand sloth bear movements, habitat preferences, and distribution
© Photo : Wildlife SOS
Sloth Bear Radio-Collaring in Karnataka
To address the growing human-bear conflict, Wildlife SOS initiated a radio-collaring project sloth bears in three districts namely Bellary, Kopal, and Tumkur in Karnataka in 2022 to investigate the causes and dynamics of this issue.
Swaminathan S, senior field biologist at Wildlife SOS, told Sputnik India a total of nine sloth bears have been successfully radio-collared under the project, with more collaring operations scheduled in the future.
The research revealed that the sloth bear population in Karnataka is severely fragmented due to anthropogenic activities such as infrastructure projects, cultivation, plantation and mining activities.
"The Gudekote Sloth Bear Sanctuary in the Bellary district is fragmented into five regions, with villages scattered throughout the entire protected area. The sloth bears move across these patches inhabited by humans in search of essential natural resources like water, food, and shelter, leading to conflicts," Swaminathan explained.
Conservation of Asiatic Black Bears & Himalayan Brown Bear
From habitat loss due to the timber industry to forest fires, militancy and encroachment in buffer areas, several challenges pose major threats to Asiatic black bears, also known as moon bears, and critically endangered Himalayan brown bears in Jammu and Kashmir.
The research on Asiatic Black Bears and Himalayan Brown Bear in J&K through the radio-collaring system revealed that in a span of 20 years (from 2000 to 2020), a total of 2,357 bear attacks were recorded.
"75% of the diet of the bears who frequented human-made garbage dumps included plastic, chocolates, and organic food waste. The improper disposal of waste is a major factor that attracts bears close to human settlements, thereby increasing the risk of direct conflict and attacks," Swaminathan said.
The change in feeding patterns directly threatens the survival of Himalayan brown bears and exacerbates human-bear conflict.
© Photo : Wildlife SOS
Due to the implementation of awareness campaigns and the active involvement of the Wildlife Protection Department since 2016, the frequency of attacks has significantly declined, he added.
The wildlife experts managed to bring down the frequency of bear attacks and also started two rescue centres in Pahalgam and Dachigam which is home to a total of six Asiatic black bears.