Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 19 (ANI): Two one-month-old Himalayan black bear cubs were rescued after being found abandoned in an orchard at Sandhu village near Matyana in the Theog subdivision of Shimla district, forest officials said.
The cubs were first spotted by local residents, who alerted the Forest Department. Field staff from the Theog Forest Range reached the spot and safely retrieved the animals. Officials said efforts were made for two days to trace and reunite the cubs with their mother, but these did not succeed.
Considering their fragile condition, the cubs were shifted to the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre Tutikandi for specialised care.
Veterinary experts at the centre found the cubs to be in a vulnerable state, requiring intensive care and constant monitoring. They are currently being raised as orphans under the supervision of trained staff.
Animal handlers are providing round-the-clock care, including hand-feeding with milk and nutritional supplements, maintaining hygiene, ensuring warmth, and closely monitoring their health and behaviour.
Officials said the Tutikandi facility has handled around 350 wildlife rescue cases in the past three years, with animals either released back into the wild after recovery or kept under long-term care if unfit for release.
The Forest Department commended local residents for promptly reporting the incident and said all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the healthy growth of the cubs.
The Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Shimla, Shahnawaz Bhat, said the cubs are under close observation and receiving intensive care. "Every effort is being made to ensure their survival and healthy development, and their condition is being monitored round the clock," he added. (ANI)
