A video of a black bear, which went viral on TikTok has led to the rescue of the bear who was being kept captive in Tando Adam by a gypsy family. The bear has now been safely relocated to a sanctuary.
Youngsters on social media seem to want to film everything these days. But as frustrating as it may be, a recent video by a young TikTok star may have saved a Black Bear from a life of cruelty.
Following a video made by the boy on a road trip – in being unaware that filming such videos of animals is illegal – he managed to alert the Sindh Wildlife Department to the bear being kept in captivity.
A tiktok star recently posted a video on tiktok showing this bear in someone's illegal possession. We request all 2 help us find bear's location. The informer will b highly appreciated. If the boy [the star] helps us find the location that great help will be acknowledged. pic.twitter.com/FH1pWUdJEw
— SindhWildlife (@sindhwildlife) August 21, 2020
Keeping animals locked up is illegal and the SWD immediately put out an alert to find out where the bear was. Unfortunately, the youngster who made the video could not help.
“I am not sure where I saw the animal,” he told The Express Tribune. “I was on my way to Karachi from Sukkur when I saw the bear with a [gypsy] family,” he added.
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He clarified that he did not know that by filming the bear, he was committing an illegal act. “Many young boys were making [its] video,” he said, pledging to avoid shooting videos of animals in the future.
How the black bear got saved
Under Wildlife Inspector Aijaz Noondhani, the SWD was finally able to find the bear. The animal was being kept for bear-baiting.
Bear-baiting is a cruel practice involving tormenting the bear with other animals and is commonly used as a source of income by gypsy families.
Well-done Wildlife Inspector Mr. Aijaz Noondhani for finding the bear in illegal possession.
As per law possessing a bear is illegal. Apparently kept in the name of poverty is actually used for ‘Bear-baiting’. Sindh Wildlife Law prohibits & terms such act an act of illegal 1/4 pic.twitter.com/rEDRmp3cQN— SindhWildlife (@sindhwildlife) August 22, 2020
The SWD had a hard time convincing the family to give up the bear. “The transfer of the bear’s custody has been delayed due to resistance from the female members of the family,” the department said, adding that negotiations are underway to provide them with an alternative livelihood.
The department offered the family a cargo motorcycle in exchange after which they decided to give up possession of the bear.
New Beginnings
Rescued, and renamed as Sobharo – meaning ‘victorious’ – the bear was shifted to the National Bear Rehabilitation Sanctuary (NBRS) the same evening. Located between Chakwal and Islamabad, the centre is roughly 1,200 kilometers from Tando Adam.
Sobharo reached his new home the next day and was placed in quarantine for the first couple of days.
“The next step was to remove the ring pierced in his nose,” explained SWD Head Jawed Mahar.
Wildlife experts say that one of the most sensitive parts of a bear’s body is its nose, and it is often pierced early on during its training, in order to control it.
Sobharo’s nose ring was removed through a minor surgical procedure. “It is a difficult process and needs the utmost care,” said Mahar.
After the surgery, Sobharo had to be quarantined again, and tomorrow [Friday] he will be released in the sanctuary, according to Mahar.
An official at the NBRS told The Express Tribune that there were many such bears in different provinces, including Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. “Sindh has only three [left]. We hope the other provinces will soon follow suit,” he said.
