A bear rehabilitation center in northeastern India is struggling to cope with the unexpected arrival of bear cubs over two weeks.
The Arunachal Times reported that the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) at the Pakke Tiger Reserve took in five Asiatic black bear cubs in May 2025. The first two were transferred to the CBRC on May 8 after being spotted in a field near a rural village. Three more arrived just three days later after locals cared for them. Officials suspect the cubs' mothers were the victims of poaching.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Asiatic black bear as vulnerable.
Once widely dispersed across Asia, the bear, also known as the moon bear, has suffered from habitat loss and extensive poaching. According to Animal Asia, the bear's body parts are used in traditional medicines, and some are farmed for their bile. Moon bear bile is touted for its alleged medicinal properties, but it is an immensely cruel practice that causes significant pain to the bears. While illegal in China, it isn't prohibited in Vietnam, and Animals Asia reports its population has declined by 60% in the last 30 years.
Poaching is one of the biggest challenges to conservation efforts, as it can be incredibly lucrative and poses a real challenge for authorities to clamp down on. As with any illegal trade, it's difficult to provide precise figures, but the World Wildlife Fund estimates it runs into the "billions of dollars" each year.
Rehabilitating orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs for re-release into the wild is difficult because they spend a long time with their mothers learning essential survival skills. Each cub will need the combined efforts of a dedicated team of experts. Thanks to the compassion residents showed taking local action to protect the cubs, the CBRC is hopeful they'll be able to return to the wild.
"With the arrival of five new bear cubs, we're intensifying our efforts in nursing, rehabilitation, and possibly identifying multiple acclimatisation sites," Dr. Subhasish Arandhara, an ecologist with the Wildlife Trust of India, said, according to The Arunachal Times. "Our entire CBRC team … is preparing to meet this challenge."
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