The observation also highlights the significance of wildlife corridors as the Sloth Bear likely travelled from Chandoli National Park to the Kule Forest via the Phansavale Forest, which serves as a vital link between these two landscapes.
The Sloth Bear is named for its sloth like traits, including long claws, shaggy coat and lack of upper front teeth. It is a solitary and elusive species, often found roaming its forest territory at dawn, dusk and under the cover of night, emitting noisy grunts and snorts as it wanders in search of food.
Interestingly, Sloth Bears are the only bear species adapted for ant and termite-eating. They use their curved claws to dig into termite mounds, then using the gap from their missing front teeth suck termites and other insects up like a vacuum. They also pull down branches to get fruit and snuffle under debris for grubs and beetles. It may remind you of a certain Sloth Bear from The Jungle Book?
Sloth Bears are classified as a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Their population is decreasing due to habitat loss and poaching, and their home range has drastically reduced in recent years because of deforestation for timber and agriculture. Given the threats these bears face, it is more important than ever for their habitat to be protected.
The sighting of this Sloth Bear on AERF’s camera trap highlights that wildlife corridors are working. The bear’s presence demonstrates the importance of AERF’s work protecting the forests of the region, and signifies how vital these forests are to the free and safe movement of threatened species.
