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| Thursday, 14 November 2002 |
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Some bear facts by Ravi Corea, Sri Lanka Wildlife, Conservation Society The sloth bear - Melursus Ursinus Inornatus that is found in Sri Lanka belongs to the family Ursidae in the Mammalian Order: Carnivora (flesh eating), which consists of three genera and eight species dispersed in various parts of the world. Bears are found in all continents, except in Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Bears are omnivores and opportunistic feeders, meaning they eat a wide variety of foods that consists of insects, grubs, tubers, grass, berries, nuts, flowers, fruits, honey, fish and meat either as carrion or fresh from the occasional kill. The only truly carnivorous bear is the polar bear - Ursus Maritimus that inhabits the northern hemisphere. Its main prey is the ringed seal - Phoca Hispida, the most numerous seal in the Arctic. Some polar bears consume berries and other vegetation during the summer and autumn seasons. Sloth The sloth bear of Sri Lanka is so special that it can be considered an insectivore (eating insects), because one of its primary foods is termites or white ants belonging to the Insect Order: Isoptera. In fact the sloth bear has undergone a number of structural modifications to accommodate an unusual method of feeding. Its has naked, mobile, protruding lips, and the snout is also mobile; the nostrils can be closed at will; the inner pair of upper incisors is absent forming a gap in the front teeth and the palate is hollowed. These morphological adaptations supported by strong limbs armed with exceptionally long, strong and curved claws, allow it to feed on termites by ripping open their nests, and sucking up the occupants in a manner similar to a vacuum cleaner. A bear feeding on a termite nest is generally very noisy and can be heard from a distance. While termites are the most important food for most of the year, their diet also consists other insects, grubs, honey, eggs, carrion, grass, flowers, and fruit. The article by Florence Wickramage states the two bears are held by the Army. According to the law of Sri Lanka it is illegal for anyone to keep bears, since they are endangered, and are fully protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, and needs special permission from the Department of Wildlife Conservation. The article also states that they are fed a purely vegetarian diet! This is contrary to their nutritional needs as is obvious from the information above, and deficiencies caused by such a diet can lead to complications, if not now, it would do so as they grow older. Apparently the "new habitat" as the article refers to is just an iron barred cage in an Army Camp! Bears are wide ranging animals and this habit along with ripping termite nests helps to maintain the proper length of their long claws as well as their general physiology. It is cruel and inhuman to hold such animals, for that matter any animal in barred cages. Especially, today since we have a better knowledge and understanding of the ecology and behaviour of wild animals. Unfortunately since they have being in captivity all of their lives these bears cannot be released to the wild. Then, what is best is to hand them over to the Dehiwala zoo where they may get a slightly better diet and a little more room to live in the zoo's Bear pits. Best alternative The best alternative would be for the relevant government institution responsible for these bears, which is either the Department of Wildlife Conservation or the National Zoological Gardens, to offer or exchange them with an internationally renowned zoo in Europe or in the USA where there is a breeding program for sloth bears. The Following zoos in the USA are participating in an international breeding program for sloth bears. This breeding program has two management units, one for the Indian subcontinent population and one for the Sri Lanka population. These zoos are: The Woodland Park Zoo (www.zoo.org) in Seattle, Washington; The Toledo Zoo (www.toledozoo.org) in Toledo, Ohio; San Diego Zoo (www.sandiegozoo.org/) in San Diego, California; and the Smoky Mountain Zoological Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Calgary Zoo (www.calgaryzoo.ab.ca) in Canada is also in this program. They will be glad to have these bears since they will add new genes to the existing captive sloth bear bloodline. Presently these two bears are just objects of entertainment in an Army Camp irrespective of how well loved they are. At the Dehiwala Zoo too, their life would be not that much better. Considering the sloth bear is listed in CITES Appendix I (1989), the ethical thing to do would be to give these two captive bears a chance to contribute to their own species' survival in a well managed captive breeding program. We have to be willing to do what is best for the species, if we want to conserve our wildlife for the future in the new millennium. (www.slwcs.org), USA |
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