EddieFrine at 03:05, 1 October 2025

2025-10-01T03:05:41Z

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{{short description|Sloth bear rescue centre in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{Coord|27|14|9|N|77|51|7|E|display=title}}

{{Use Indian English|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox zoo
| name = Agra Bear Rescue Facility
| logo =
| logo_width =
| logo_caption =
| image = {{Photomontage |border=0 |size=275 |spacing=2 |color=none | photo1a = Amitabh Bear.jpg}}
| image_width =
| image_caption = A rescued bear at Agra Bear Rescue Facility: He was named Amitabh.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-05-12|title=Bear Of The Month: Amitabh!|url=https://wildlifesos.org/animals/bear-of-the-month-amitabh/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Wildlife SOS|language=en-US}}</ref>
| slogan =
| date_opened = 1999
| date_closed =
| location = inside the [[Keetham Lake|Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary]], also known as Keetham Lake
| coordinates = {{coord|27|14|9|N|77|51|7|E}}
| area =
| floorspace =
| num_animals = Over 170 sloth bears<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Agra Bear Rescue Facility|url=https://wildlifesos.org/locations/agra-bear-rescue-facility/|access-date=5 October 2020|website=wildlifesos.org}}</ref>
| num_species =
| largest_tank_vol =
| total_tank_vol =
| annual_visitors =
| members =
| exhibits = [[Sloth bear]]
| owner = [[Wildlife SOS]]
| director =
| management = [[Wildlife SOS]], Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, [[International Animal Rescue]], One Voice, [[Free the Bears Fund|Free The Bears]] and others.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
| publictransit =
| website = {{official|https://wildlifesos.org/locations/agra-bear-rescue-facility/}}
| module = 
}}
The '''Agra Bear Rescue Facility''' is a [[Sloth bear]] rescue facility dedicated to rehabilitating previously enslaved '[[dancing bear]]s'. Established in 1999 by [[Wildlife SOS]] in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and others, the facility is located in an eight-hectare site inside the [[Keetham Lake|Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary]](also known as Keetham Lake), 17 km west of Agra.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Incredible India {{!}} Keetham Lake|url=https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredibleindia/en/destinations/agra/keetham-lake.html|access-date=16 September 2020|website=www.incredibleindia.org}}</ref> It is one of the four facilities in India operated by Wildlife SOS for this purpose, and helped in the eradication of the 'dancing bear' practice in India.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Dancing Bears in India -- Final Curtain|work=PRWeb|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/dancing_bears/final_curtain/prweb3366964.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222041114/http://www.prweb.com/releases/Dancing_Bears/Final_Curtain/prweb3366964.htm|archive-date=22 December 2009|access-date=2017-05-03}}</ref> It currently houses over 170 sloth bears as well as other wildlife. Agra Bear Rescue Facility also does advanced research, disease management and provides specialised [[veterinary care]] as well as [[geriatric care]] for sloth bears. The facility is available for tours by small groups of people.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Shefali Apte|url=http://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetguidetoindia_202003_300_K|title=Lonely Planet Guide To India}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Bears|url=https://wildlifesos.org/our-work/bear/|access-date=5 October 2020|website=wildlifesos.org}}</ref><ref name=":3" />

== History and Overview ==
[[File:Indian_Sloth_Bear.jpg|thumb|The [[Sloth bear|Sloth Bear]].]]
[[File:Alludeen_dancing_the_bear.jpg|left|thumb|A dancing bear and its Kalandar Master.]]
The [[sloth bear]] (''Melurus ursinus'') is a medium-sized [[Omnivore|omnivorous]] species of bear found in the Indian subcontinent, predominantly India, with a small population in Nepal and Bhutan, and a sub-species in Sri Lanka. It is listed as '''vulnerable''' on the [[IUCN Red List|IUCN Red list]].<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Dharaiya, N. |author2=Bargali, H.S. |author3=Sharp, T. |date=2020 |title=''Melursus ursinus'' |volume=2020 |article-number=e.T13143A166519315 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T13143A166519315.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>

For over 400 years, the Sloth Bear had been a target for human exploitation. A [[nomadic tribe]] known as the Kalandars began keeping [[Dancing bear|'dancing' sloth bears]] which entertained Mughal emperors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2007-12-17|title=The Dancing Bears of India: Moving Toward Freedom|url=https://www.britannica.com/explore/savingearth/the-dancing-bears-of-india-moving-toward-freedom|access-date=2020-10-05|website=Saving Earth {{!}} Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> Over the centuries, the 'dancing' bear trade transitioned to become cheap roadside entertainment for villagers and tourists who paid to watch the bears.<ref name=":2" />

The practice of enslaving bears for use as 'dancing' bears has been illegal in India under the [[Wildlife Protection Act, 1972|Wildlife Protection Act 1972]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=THE INDIAN WILDLIFE (PROTECTION) ACT, 1972|url=http://envfor.nic.in/legis/wildlife/wildlife1.html|access-date=2017-05-03|website=envfor.nic.in}}</ref> However this rule was not well enforced, and as a result hundreds of bears remained enslaved. The bears were poached from the forests as cubs, their mothers often killed, and sold in illegal markets to Kalandars, who have used the dancing bears as a source of income for centuries. With no [[anaesthesia]], a metal rod would be inserted through their muzzle so that a rope or nose ring can be attached and they spent much of their lives in pain chained to a stake or in a cage. Their canine teeth were crudely knocked out, and the bears were beaten into submission to teach them to perform.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

In 1996, [[Wildlife SOS|Wildlife SOS's]] research indicated that there were more than 1200 'dancing' bears scattered throughout India. In collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, [[International Animal Rescue]], One Voice, [[Free the Bears Fund|Free The Bears]], and others, Wildlife SOS established the Agra Bear Rescue Facility to rehabilitate bears.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

== Bear rehabilitation process ==
On arrival to the facility, the rescued bears undergo a 90-day quarantine to prevent spread of any infectious disease to any other bear. Other immediate procedures include a complete health checkup where bears are treated for any diseases, wounds and parasites. The bear receives vaccination for many diseases like [[Rabies in animals|Rabies]], [[Leptospirosis]] and [[infectious canine hepatitis]]. Once the quarantine period ends, the bears are encouraged to go into large socialisation enclosures with other bears where the behaviour and personality of each bear is monitored by Wildlife SOS staff.

After this process, the bear is matched to a group based on its personality, and then moved to a larger free-range area. The facility has full-time wildlife [[Veterinary medicine|veterinary doctors]] and bear keepers. The bear hospital features a laboratory, along with [[X-ray]], [[Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology|Ultrasound]], Dental suite, [[Operating theater|Operation theatre]] and other equipments. The facility also includes a special cub weaning area which is dedicated to [[Foster care of animals|foster]] rescued baby bears.<ref name=":3" />

Because the bears have been captive most of their lives, its unlikely they can ever be released into the wild, but the goal of Wildlife SOS is to eradicate the practice of dancing bears which has been illegal in India since 1972 but still enslaves bears, and thus stop the poaching of cubs. An important part of this is finding an alternative source of income for the Kalandar tribespeople and educating them about the cruelty of their former profession. A number of young Kalandar men are even employed at the facility helping care for the bears.<ref name=":1" />

== Tours ==
The facility is available for tours, with a payment of entry fee to the Forest Department in order to access the facility, when last checked.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Agra Bear Rescue Facility {{!}} Agra, India Attractions|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/uttar-pradesh/agra/attractions/agra-bear-rescue-facility/a/poi-sig/1558945/356509|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Lonely Planet|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Wildlife conservation in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Agra]]
[[Category:Bear sanctuaries]]
[[Category:Agra]]
[[Category:Agra district]]
[[Category:Agra division]]

Agra Bear Rescue Facility - Revision history

EddieFrine at 03:05, 1 October 2025