Genetically isolated sloth bears rely on habitat corridors to connect populations

Date:May 6, 2015

Source:PLOS

Summary:Habitat connectivity and corridors may play an important role in maintaining gene flow between isolated sloth bear populations in central India.

Habitat connectivity and corridors may play an important role in maintaining gene flow between isolated sloth bear populations in central India, according to a study published May 6, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Trishna Dutta from Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and colleagues.

Sloth bears, Melursus ursinus, are endemic to the Indian subcontinent and due to habitat loss and degradation over the past century, their declining populations now exist only in isolated and fragmented habitats. The authors of this study, interested in understanding the genetic connectivity between these fragmented populations studied sloth bear meta-populations in five tiger reserves in the Satpura-Maikal Landscape of central India. They collected sloth bear scat along forest trails and hair samples from trees with sloth bear claw marks, as well as recorded the GPS location of each collection site to obtain genetic diversity information.

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Three bears rescued from poachers are doing well

After being rescued from poachers in Nepal by Wildlife SOS and International Animal Resuce (IAR) in December 2013, three sloth bears are reported to be doing well.

The bears had been kept by poachers until they had grown large enough for sale, and when they were old enough had been taken to India in an attempt to sell them to the Kalandar community, who had traditionally used bears for dancing. However, the practice of keeping dancing bears was made illegal in India in 1972, and in 2009 all dancing bears in the country were liberated. The poachers found that, as the Kalandar community no longer maintains the dancing bear tradition, they could not sell them the bears. As a result, the animals were taken back to Nepal, where it is believed they would have been sold to make bear paw soup.

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India launches specialist team to protect sloth bears

Posted by: Kevin Heath / 1 week ago

After a recent surge in poaching of sloth bears the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has set up a special investigation team to track down the poachers and traders involved. The team has been drawn from specialists at the Forestry Department. It follows on from the discovery of sloth bear carcases found across the state which had been skilfully carved up.

The poachers are targeting sloth bears in the state because of the ‘medicinal’ qualities of the bears reproductive organs, gall-bladders and paws. It is claimed that these sloth bear parts can be used as aphrodisiacs, cures for cancer and will also treat burns, asthma, sinusitis and other ailments. It is also claimed that consuming sloth bear gall-bladder and it’s products such as bile can prevent and treat liver disease.

Demand for sloth bears parts is particularly strong with growing affluence in countries such as:

China,

Hong Kong,

Japan,

Macau,

the Republic of South Korea and

Taiwan.

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