Over the past two weeks, the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Pakke Tiger Reserve has become the new home for five rescued Asiatic black bear cubs. The cubs, separated from their mothers under different circumstances, were rescued from various locations across the state and are now under the expert care of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) team.
The CBRC, jointly managed by WTI, the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Environment and Forests, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), has been working round the clock to rehabilitate the young animals, with the long-term goal of reintroducing them into the wild.
The first rescue took place on 2nd May, 2025, when two female cubs were found near an agricultural field in Sitang village. Suspected to be orphans—likely due to poaching—the cubs were swiftly relocated by the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary team to the Mini-Zoo cum Rescue Centre in Roing for temporary care.
On 8th May, the cubs were formally handed over to CBRC in the presence of Mr. Mito Rumi, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary Division, and Range Forest Officer (RFO) Dr. Kabuk Lego. CBRC’s team, including ecologist Dr. Subhasish Arandhara, veterinarian Dr. Simu Balo, and animal keepers Mr. Doluk Dagang and Mr. Anthony Ngorang, received the cubs and initiated their rehabilitation process.
Soon after, three more bear cubs—one male and two females—were rescued from the Tawang district. These cubs were discovered in different villages after their mother, last seen on 17th April in a forest near Sherbang Village, vanished. Locals collecting firewood had initially spotted the mother bear with three cubs, but she soon disappeared. After two days of lingering in the area, the cubs wandered into nearby villages.
Concerned villagers cared for the animals until officials intervened. The DFO of Tawang, upon learning of the situation, directed their relocation to Lumla Range. On 11th May, they were handed over to the Forest Department and transferred to CBRC in the presence of Dr. Panjit Basumatary, Manager and Head of CBRC, WTI. Despite the cubs’ relocation, there is still hope that the mother bear may be alive somewhere in the area.
Now under CBRC’s care, the five cubs are receiving dedicated veterinary support and a structured rehabilitation plan to prepare them for life in the wild. The CBRC team follows a method that closely mirrors a cub’s natural upbringing in the wild.
“With the arrival of five new bear cubs, we’re intensifying our efforts in nursing, rehabilitation, and possibly identifying multiple acclimatisation sites. Our entire CBRC team—including keepers, veterinarians, and biologists—is preparing to meet this challenge, ensuring these cubs are well-prepared for their eventual return to the wild. At the same time, we’re actively monitoring the progress of two cubs released earlier this year at the end of March,” said Dr. Subhasish Arandhara, Ecologist, WTI.
Satyaprakash Singh, IFS and Divisional Forest Officer of Pakke Tiger Reserve, lauded the public’s role in the rescues: “We deeply appreciate the compassion shown by the community toward these young bears. It is essential that we unite in our efforts to ensure the survival of our precious wildlife.”
Dr. Panjit Basumatary added perspective on the rehabilitation process: “Bear cubs spend between 1.5-2 years under the close supervision of their mothers, learning vital survival skills. We adopt a similar process at CBRC through rehabilitation, which includes hand-raising, acclimatisation and weaning alongside regular walks in the forest with experienced biologists and animal keepers, to help them adapt to their surroundings. Ultimately, our goal is to reintroduce these cubs into the wild, giving them a second chance at life in their natural habitat.”
As the CBRC team steps up its efforts, the rescues stand as a powerful reminder of both the challenges and possibilities of wildlife conservation in India’s northeast.
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