For several years, I had hoped to see a sloth bear in the wild and every time I visited the forest on WCT work, I would keep my eyes peeled for signs of its presence. In March 2014, I had a close encounter with one that made me realise just how much difference 10 minutes can make when you are out in the forest! I was in the West Pench range of the Pench Tiger reserve helping the rest of team set up camera traps. On March 1st, I went into the forest, accompanied by a guard, to check on the location of one of our traps. It had been set up on a forest road that was frequented by a lot of people and we were debating whether or not it should be shifted to a more secluded location. We assumed doing so would increase our chances of photographing a tiger. When we reached the road, I noticed there was a stream nearby and decided to go walk along it to see if there was a better spot for our camera. I returned, only 10 minutes later, and was amazed to see fresh pug marks on the road! Upon closer examination, I realised they belonged to a sloth bear! I wondered how many times I had been in the forest and had one of these magnificent creatures pass silently by me without me noticing it!
Disclaimer: The author is associated with Wildlife Conservation Trust. The views and opinions expressed in the article are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Related Links
- Conservation Strategy
- Tiger Matters – A Documentary on our 360 Degree Approach to Conservation
- 22 amazing tiger facts – LetsTalkTigers
- It’s all about us!
- The Lions’ Last Walk
- Illegal Wildlife Trade: The Need to Look Within
- Focus on accurate means of wildlife tracking is the need of the hour: Anish Andheria