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"Dancing" Sloth Bear and owner
(漏 International Animal Rescue) |
Dancing Bears
"Dancing" bears have long been a feature at tourist spots in India along with monkeys and cobras.
Nomadic Kalandar gypsies control the bears by removing their teeth and claws at an early age and pass a rope through the bears' nose, pulling it upwards to make the bear "dance".
Wildlife journalist Tessa McGregor visits a unique sanctuary in Agra in the north of the country run by the Indian wildlife charity, Wildlife SOS and supported by International Animal Rescue based in England.
Here she meets adult sloth bears rescued from the streets and cared for by trained vets and keepers and learns of raids to rescue cubs from poachers.
Although it was听made illegal in India in 1972,听听a network of cub poachers continue to take bears from the wild.
The charities are well on the way to rescuing half the dancing bears, but conservation of the animals in the wild is more difficult.
Those rescued can't be rehabilitated and cubs become dangerous to people as they grow up.
Bear rescue is only one aspect of the problem though.
In a country with its share of economic and social difficulties, Tessa discovers that engaging public support is not always easy.
The Kalandar people also have to be compensated for the loss of their income.
Tessa meets those who have changed their lives and accepted a financial package in return for surrendering their bears.
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