Species of the Month: The Himalayan Black Bear

Common Name: Himalayan Black Bear, Asiatic Black Bear

Scientific Name: Ursus thibetanus

IUCN Red List: Vulnerable A2cd

CITES: Appendix 1

Wildlife Protection Act of India (1972): Schedule 1

Population trend: Decreasing

The Himalayan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) also more commonly known as the Asiatic Black Bear is a threatened species of bear. It is one of the four species of bears found on the Indian sub-continent, the others being the Himalayan Brown Bear, the endemic Sloth Bear and the Sun Bear.

The Himalayan Black Bear, a medium - sized bear, is found in the central Himalayas and is also found in the private forests of the Gadoli and Manda Khal Fee Simple Estates and peripheral community - managed forests known as Van Panchayats and government - managed Reserved Forests.

Found in coniferous as well as broadleaved forests, adult Himalayan Black Bears produce litters of 1-2 cubs annually.

The Himalayan Black Bear in this landscape often forages on Oak acorns and the berries of the Kafal tree as well as the yellow Hissar berries. It can be quite aggressive towards humans and caution is advised when entering a forest area where the species is known to be present.

The Himalayan Black Bear often visits us at Gadoli House at the Gadoli and Manda Khal Fee Simple Estates where it loves to raid pears and the bhutta crop. Its often turns up in my camera-traps and it is many - a - times sighted on these estates.

Sadly, destruction of its forest habitats due to development pressures like construction of roads, power lines and diversion of forest land along with forest degradation from forest fires, illicit lopping and cutting of natural regeneration and the species being poached for its gall bladders and its paws are seeing Himalayan Black Bear populations decrease in many parts of its range.

Conservation Action: The Gadoli and Manda Khal Wildlife Conservation Trust is working actively on-ground to protect coniferous and broadleaved habitats of the Himalayan Black Bear in the private forests of the Gadoli and Manda Khal Fee Simple Estates and peripheral areas in this landscape. Foot-patrols to curb illicit tree felling, lopping and illegal cutting of natural regeneration are conducted regularly to secure habitat for the species.

Sources:

IUCN Red List

CITES

WLPA(1972)

Chowfin, S.M. (2016); First Record of the Himalayan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) in the private forests of the Gadoli and Manda Khal fee simple estate in the Pauri Garhwal District of Uttarakhand; Zoo’s Print, Vol. 31 (12), pp. 17 – 19