The Status and Conservation of Sloth Bear in Rajasthan

Abstract

This chapter presents the ecology, behaviour and status of Sloth Bear in Rajasthan. Four species of bear, namely, Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus), Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus), Himalayan Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) and Malayan Sun Bear (Ursus malayanus), are found in India. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, Sloth Bear is listed in Appendix I of CITES and is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006. Sloth Bear is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent and is found in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. In India, it is distributed from the southern tip of the Western Ghats mountains to the foothills of the Himalayas. The quality of its habitat is determined by the availability and seasonal variations in food, shelter and vegetation cover. Sloth Bears are reported from a few protected areas (PAs) and 13 administrative divisions of the Department of Forests, Government of Rajasthan, located in the Vindhyas and the Aravallis hills. They are common in PAs such as Kailadevi, Kumbhalgarh, Mount Abu, Sawai Mansingh, Raoli-Todgarh Wildlife Sanctuaries and Ranthambhore National Park. The bears do not occur in the desert margin of the northern and western part of the state. Sloth Bear is a key species of the hills and mountains of the semi-arid region of western India. Conservation threats to the Sloth Bear population such as loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitats and poaching for gall bladder and other body parts have been discussed.