Publisher : Biodiversity Journal
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2014
Thematic : Species
Language : English
Note
One of the 12 mega biodiversity centres of the world, India is unique in having four of the
eight bear species (Mammalia Ursidae) that are found in the world. They are brown bear
(Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 s.l.), Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823), sun
bear (Helarctos malayanus Raffles, 1821) and sloth bear (Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791). The
abundance of sloth bear in India, which is also present in Sry Lanka with the endemic subspecies
Sri Lankan sloth bear, M. ursinus inornatus Pucheran, 1855, is determined by its
location within the global distribution range, quantum, quality and continuity of habitat
available and the anthropogenic pressures the species faces. Bears in India are threatened due
to poaching for bear parts, retaliatory killings to reduce conflicts and habitat loss due to
degradation and fragmentation. In addition to these concerns, the rehabilitation of communities
that eke out a living on dancing bears has made bear conservation a challenge in India.
Deforestation and hunting are major threats to bears in India. Unless urgent conservation measures
are taken and degraded forest areas are restored, we suspect that sloth bear may soon
become endangered in India.
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Keywords : ecosystem-based-management
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
