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Maulik Amlani

  • Biodiversity Journal, 5 (4): 533–544

    Vikas Kumar, Amit A. Revale, Sachin K. Singh, Maulik Amlani & Abduladil A. Kazi
    Sloth bear, Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791 (Mammalia Ursidae), from India: conservation issues and management actions, a case study

    ABSTRACT
    One of the 12 mega biodiversity centres of the world, India is unique in having four of the eight bear species (Mammalia Ursidae) that are found in the world. They are brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 s.l.), Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus Raffles, 1821) and sloth bear (Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791). The abundance of sloth bear in India, which is also present in Sry Lanka with the endemic subspecies Sri Lankan sloth bear, M. ursinus inornatus Pucheran, 1855, is determined by its location within the global distribution range, quantum, quality and continuity of habitat available and the anthropogenic pressures the species faces. Bears in India are threatened due to poaching for bear parts, retaliatory killings to reduce conflicts and habitat loss due to degradation and fragmentation. In addition to these concerns, the rehabilitation of communities that eke out a living on dancing bears has made bear conservation a challenge in India. Deforestation and hunting are major threats to bears in India. Unless urgent conservation measures are taken and degraded forest areas are restored, we suspect that sloth bear may soon become endangered in India.