Bear conservation in Manipur
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Kharibam Hitler Singh
India initiated Wildlife Week Celebration first in 1952, by the Indian Board of Wildlife (Presently National Board for Wildlife). Initially Wildlife Day was celebrated on different date in different States & Union territory of India. But since 1972, every year 2nd October to 8th October is celebrated as Wildlife Week. This year is the 71st edition of Wildlife Week Celebration with the theme “Hu- man-Animal Coexistence.’’
India is a pioneer in conservation of Nature, Forest & Wildlife in spite of being the most populated Nation in the world. India has approximately 60% of Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), over 70% of Tigers (Panthera tigris) and 100% of Asian Lion (Panthera leo). United Nations declared World Wildlife Day only in the year 2014 and World Environment Day in the year 1974. But India has already declared Wildlife Week celebration in 1952 and Vanamahotsava in 1950.
In spite of a very strong legislation and enforcing a special law of Wildlife Protection Act 1972, India’s Wildlife especially in the forest outside the Protected Area Network (PAN) are facing threats to its wildlife populations.
In this scenario, State Forest Department headed by Shri Anurag Bajpai PCCF &HoFF and Chief Wildlife Warden, also holding the Additional Chief Secretary, Trade, Commerce & Industries and Transport had initiated special thrust for conservation of Bears species in Manipur. Bear is to be considered as flagship species for conservation next to the State animal “Sangai” A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Forest Department with the Wildlife Trust of India on 29th May 2025 for taking up special measure for wildlife protection by collaborative mea- sures in the areas of capacity building and awareness creation among the frontline Forest Staff and law enforcing agencies and opening a Rehabilitation Centre of rescued bears at Bishnupur District, Manipur and many satellite rescue centre in the Hill Districts.
In recent times abandoned bear cubs/ orphaned bear cubs were detected in the Forest of Hills Districts of Manipur. These are the signs of probable unfortunate incidents that might have happened to the mother bear. Bear are traditionally hunted/trapped for bile/gallbladder which is used as traditional medicine for various kinds of ailments in the far flung areas of Manipur.
Manipur is reported as home to three Bear species i.e. Himalayan Black Bear, Sloth Bear and Malayan Sun Bear. Himalayan Black Bear is distributed almost all over the hill districts of Manipur whereas Sloth bear and Malayan Sun Bear are found in the hill districts bordering Myanmar.
Bear is an omnivorous animal; it can feed both in vegetation such as fruit, nuts, honey and other plant parts besides fish, insects, birds and mammals. Bear is also a very ferocious wild animal on provocation. There is a saying in Manipuri “Kei kiduna chenlaga sawom oknei’’; which means ‘’bear is more dangerous than a tiger’’.
There are instances of bear mauling human beings in other part of India and Manipur in the past. Why then Govt. of Manipur is trying to save and propagate this ferocious wild animal ? In the scheme of nature they play a very crucial role of ecosystem service, without them wildlife and wilderness shall be made poorer. To emphasize the importance of carnivores and omnivores, it will be more convincing to the people in the hill districts of Manipur if we refer the biblical episode of Noah where God asked Noah to take all his family & every clean and unclean two animals one male and one female and also every two of clean and unclean birds one male and one female and every creeping animals one male and one female into his ark before the set time of forty days and forty nights Rain (Genesis 7:7-9).
Bears are considered as an ecosystem engineer and they use to help in seed dispersal in the wild. For welfare of human existence; co-existence with wild animals is a necessity based on the ecological and spiritual knowled- ges. Thus let us conserve all the three bear species of Manipur and prevent it from extinction. (This article is intended for creating aware- ness and in academic interest, the ideas and views expressed are writer’s own and not necessarily that of Govt of Manipur. The writer would like to thank Shri. Anurag Bajpai PCCF & HoFF, and Transport and all my Senior Forest Officers).
India initiated Wildlife Week Celebration first in 1952, by the Indian Board of Wildlife (Presently National Board for Wildlife). Initially Wildlife Day was celebrated on different date in different States & Union territory of India. But since 1972, every year 2nd October to 8th October is celebrated as Wildlife Week. This year is the 71st edition of Wildlife Week Celebration with the theme “Hu- man-Animal Coexistence.’’
India is a pioneer in conservation of Nature, Forest & Wildlife in spite of being the most populated Nation in the world. India has approximately 60% of Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), over 70% of Tigers (Panthera tigris) and 100% of Asian Lion (Panthera leo). United Nations declared World Wildlife Day only in the year 2014 and World Environment Day in the year 1974. But India has already declared Wildlife Week celebration in 1952 and Vanamahotsava in 1950.
In spite of a very strong legislation and enforcing a special law of Wildlife Protection Act 1972, India’s Wildlife especially in the forest outside the Protected Area Network (PAN) are facing threats to its wildlife populations.
In this scenario, State Forest Department headed by Shri Anurag Bajpai PCCF &HoFF and Chief Wildlife Warden, also holding the Additional Chief Secretary, Trade, Commerce & Industries and Transport had initiated special thrust for conservation of Bears species in Manipur. Bear is to be considered as flagship species for conservation next to the State animal “Sangai” A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Forest Department with the Wildlife Trust of India on 29th May 2025 for taking up special measure for wildlife protection by collaborative mea- sures in the areas of capacity building and awareness creation among the frontline Forest Staff and law enforcing agencies and opening a Rehabilitation Centre of rescued bears at Bishnupur District, Manipur and many satellite rescue centre in the Hill Districts.
In recent times abandoned bear cubs/ orphaned bear cubs were detected in the Forest of Hills Districts of Manipur. These are the signs of probable unfortunate incidents that might have happened to the mother bear. Bear are traditionally hunted/trapped for bile/gallbladder which is used as traditional medicine for various kinds of ailments in the far flung areas of Manipur.
Manipur is reported as home to three Bear species i.e. Himalayan Black Bear, Sloth Bear and Malayan Sun Bear. Himalayan Black Bear is distributed almost all over the hill districts of Manipur whereas Sloth bear and Malayan Sun Bear are found in the hill districts bordering Myanmar.
Bear is an omnivorous animal; it can feed both in vegetation such as fruit, nuts, honey and other plant parts besides fish, insects, birds and mammals. Bear is also a very ferocious wild animal on provocation. There is a saying in Manipuri “Kei kiduna chenlaga sawom oknei’’; which means ‘’bear is more dangerous than a tiger’’.
There are instances of bear mauling human beings in other part of India and Manipur in the past. Why then Govt. of Manipur is trying to save and propagate this ferocious wild animal ? In the scheme of nature they play a very crucial role of ecosystem service, without them wildlife and wilderness shall be made poorer. To emphasize the importance of carnivores and omnivores, it will be more convincing to the people in the hill districts of Manipur if we refer the biblical episode of Noah where God asked Noah to take all his family & every clean and unclean two animals one male and one female and also every two of clean and unclean birds one male and one female and every creeping animals one male and one female into his ark before the set time of forty days and forty nights Rain (Genesis 7:7-9).
Bears are considered as an ecosystem engineer and they use to help in seed dispersal in the wild. For welfare of human existence; co-existence with wild animals is a necessity based on the ecological and spiritual knowled- ges. Thus let us conserve all the three bear species of Manipur and prevent it from extinction. (This article is intended for creating aware- ness and in academic interest, the ideas and views expressed are writer’s own and not necessarily that of Govt of Manipur. The writer would like to thank Shri. Anurag Bajpai PCCF & HoFF, and Transport and all my Senior Forest Officers).