Guwahati, Aug 20 (PTI) Two orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs, rescued from Dissoi Reserved Forest in Assam's Jorhat district, have been translocated to Dehing Patkai National Park and released in the wild, a forest official said on Wednesday.
The cubs, estimated to be between four and six weeks old at the time, were discovered alone by a local youth in February this year and handed over to the Na-Kachari Beat Office under Jorhat Forest Division.
As subsequent surveys found no trace of their mother, they were transferred to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Kaziranga, for specialised care, the official said.
The cubs were treated at CWRC for mild dehydration and nurtured in the small mammal nursery under the close supervision of veterinarian Bhaskar Choudhury and his team.
They were reared on a canine milk replacer and gradually introduced to conditions that would prepare them for survival in the wild, Chudhury said.
The rehabilitation of orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs in CWRC focused on ensuring proper nutrition, maintaining natural behaviours, and minimising human imprinting to secure their chances of successful reintegration.
A scientific survey was subsequently undertaken to determine a suitable release site.
The Dissoi Reserved Forest was initially considered, but its proximity to human settlements and high disturbance made it unsuitable for bear rehabilitation.
A systematic evaluation based on natural cover, distance from habitation, prey availability, and local community awareness identified Dehing Patkai National Park as the most suitable release site.
Offering rich vegetation, abundant natural resources, minimal human interference, and committed support from forest staff and local communities, the park emerged as the ideal new home for the cubs, the official said.
Formal permission to proceed with this site selection and release was granted on June 4 by the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam.
Following this approval, the CWRC team successfully translocated the cubs to Dehing Patkai National Park on August 17, giving them a genuine chance to thrive in the wild.
CWRC, established in Kaziranga in 2002, is a joint initiative by the Assam Forest Department, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).