‘India’s oldest’ sloth bear in captivity dies in Bhopal zoo

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

In the news:

A 36-year-old male sloth bear died due to multi-organ failure at a zoo-cum-animal rescue centre in Bhopal.
The bear, named Bablu, was the oldest one in captivity in the country and died at the Van Vihar National Park.

Sloth Bears:

It is a Myrmecophagous bear species.
Distribution:
- They are endemic to the Indian sub-continent and 90% of the species population is found in India with small populations in Nepal and Srilanka.
- It occurs in a wide range of habitats including moist and dry tropical forests, savannahs, scrublands and grasslands below 1,500 m (4,900 ft) on the Indian subcontinent, and below 300 m (980 ft) in Sri Lanka’s dry forests. It is regionally extinct in Bangladesh.
- Sloth bears are found in all parts of the country except Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern States.
Characteristics:
- They are nocturnal animals.
- It feeds on fruits, ants and termites.
- Sloth bears do not hibernate.
Protection Status
- IUCN red list: listed as ‘vulnerable’
- Wildlife Protection Act of India, 1972: listed under Schedule I
Threats:
- Animal-Human conflict: Over the past few years there has been a rise of incidents of human sloth bear conflict in States like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra among other states.
- Exploitation: Sometimes captured and kept as pets, which can lead to their exploitation and mistreatment.

Van Vihar National Park:

Located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
It is situated right next to the famous Upper Lake of Bhopal also known as the “Bada Talab” which is a Ramsar Site and one of the two lakes of Bhoj Wetland.
Van Vihar is a part of the Upper Lake catchment area which checks siltation and contributes to pollution-free water in the lake, one of the major sources of water for the city.