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'Trilingual' bears a hit at new habitat

by Florence Wickramage

Jungle life is a distant dream.... A romp and a "kill" is not for them, for these two have got used to a 'civilised' life ..... maybe they had no option at the start .... but to go back to their natural habitat now .. would be too late.

Most probably they had been stranded or orphaned during the period when there were exchanges of fire between rebels and soldiers. Had their lives been spared during the "battle" they would now be roaming in the jungles, born free to live free, but fate had decreed otherwise. They had got into 'rebel-custody'.

Then began the "Riviresa" operations and the Army found two baby bears in a park belonging to Kittu in Paranthan. They rescued them, from "rebel" custody and took them into "army custody".

Now seven years old, both Bindu and Cheetah are happy in their new habitat and are completely domesticated. These bears are trilingual as they were spoken to in Tamil while in their former master's custody and now understand and obey commands in Sinhala and English, their doting master Rahju said.

Fully vegetarian, they are fed Thriposha, vegetables, fruits and Nespray. They have also found a favourite beaverage which they drink with the aid of straws.

Visitors to the camp do not forget to say hello to these lovable bears. Some are in the habit of purchasing foods and drinks from the adjoining cafe to consume while enjoying a stroll in the garden, where there are love-birds, rabbits and others.

The bears get irritated if visitors stand opposite their cage and take soft-drinks without offering them. At such instances visitors would go away with soiled shirts and dresses ...for the bears would spit at them.

Knowing their ways, visitors do not forget to treat the bears with their favourite drink while visiting them. Rahju said one company had offered lakhs of rupees to allow them to use the bears in an advertisement... but the "Army" bosses would not allow it. There is a firm NO for such requests, for these pets are not for sale.

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