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Year of rescue: 2015 Age at the time of rescue: 12 years old  Sex: Female Personality traits: Playful and innocent Recognisable features: Depigmentation on her trunk  Present health condition: Healthy; not undergoing any treatment, regular foot baths Facility: Treatment Unit at ECCC Favourite food:[…]

If you happen to visit the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC), it is highly likely that you would be able to hear loud sounds of slurping. Our team would then prompt the curious you to pause and look up. On one of the branches of the many trees, you may spot a sloth bear engrossed in licking peanut butter off a hanging ball. And in all[…]

It all started with a lengthy discussion. We never knew what was awaiting at the end of the discussion, but when it ended, we were standing at the crossroads of an almost historic moment. Discussions, though tedious, can often prove to be fruitful. Usually dialogues with exploitative elephant owners don’t end with a positive outcome, and mostly […]

A habitat is a natural environment to any living organism that provides necessary conditions for survival, growth and reproduction. The ideal habitat for each animal varies based on its specific needs, characteristics, and adaptations. Not all animals can live in the same habitat, for example, it would be astounding to find a lion roaming among[…]

Year of rescue: 2023 Age at the time of rescue: Approximately 25 years Sex: Female Personality traits: Tara carries a calm and composed demeanour. Closest to: Taj Recognisable features: Tara has a short and plump stature. She also has visible pigmentation around her neck resembling a necklace. Present health[…]

In April of 2015, Wildlife SOS received the news about four elephants who were suffering in a circus in Maharashtra. Mercilessly made to perform in front of large audiences, they were far away from life in a jungle. Our team rescued the four pachyderms from agony and torture, and brought them to the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) in […]

The most identifiable features of an elephant are their trunks and the size of their body. There are three extant species of elephants – African savanna, African forest and Asian elephants. Despite being the same animal, these species are different from one another, due to which they are often referred to as cousins. It is a known fact that[…]

Wildlife SOS has conducted several rescue operations of distressed animals, including leopards, elephants, and sloth bears, and have provided them rehabilitative care. One of our four centres for bears is Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), and it houses nearly 100 sloth bears that were saved from poaching, the ‘dancing’ bear trade or from[…]

Do animals have emotions? The question has riddled many minds over the centuries. Art, literature, and cinema have often depicted various animals with an ability to demonstrate emotions just the way humans do. This is largely due to our tendency to anthropomorphise animals, but interestingly, research has shown that animals actually do have a[…]

Don’t you love the taste of fresh mangoes or juicy watermelons in summers? Well, you are not alone! While fruits are delicious treats for humans, fruit-eating animals love to bite into them too! But what if we told you that the relationship between animals and fruits is much deeper than we thought. Some scientists have suggested that the taste[…]

What is trauma? Conveying a deeply disturbing or emotionally damaging experience with long-lasting psychological impact, trauma is regarded as a primary factor behind mental health issues. The word has been used as an anthropocentric concept for time immemorial. However, did you know that trauma can be experienced by different animals as[…]

In the wild every creature — from the largest of mammals to the tiniest of bugs — leaves its mark. One of their markings has helped many researchers understand animal species in the wild from a respectable distance. Can you take a wild (!) guess on what we are talking about? It's their scat! Yes, you read that right, animal faeces, often[…]

Elephants, along with cetaceans and great apes, are regarded as some of the most intelligent and social animals on Earth. Widely known for their cognitive skills and emotional sensitivity, Asian elephants live in tightly-knit herds. Calves enjoy the company of their mother, aunts, and older siblings for the formative years of their life. Now[…]

Animals are ingenious. If they weren’t, surviving in the wild would have been impossible for them. And we are here to talk about their smarts. The animal kingdom is overflowing with creativity, and sitting right at the top of the pyramid are Homo sapiens. Humans have creatively shaped, moulded and terraformed the Earth’s surface like no[…]

Sloth bears in India face multiple threats. While a large number of bears have been rescued from being ‘dancing’ bears, many often become victims of poaching. Jaw traps are laid out by poachers across the wild terrain to capture bears. The sharp teeth of these traps brutally clamp the paws of sloth bears, making them unable to move. This was[…]

No one said that parenting is easy. If you think that we humans have it tough, then let's take a walk into the wild – where animals ranging from the largest elephant to the smallest tree frog are in a constant struggle to raise their offspring. For some of the animals, the familial duty ends right after giving birth. While certain avian […]

The scars from our past don't fade that easily. Wounds linger and sometimes fester in unexpected ways. This month, let us take a look at the story of Vimal, an intelligent and mischievous sloth bear at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC). Vimal was rescued from the ‘dancing’ bear trade in 2010. [Photo © Wildlife SOS/ Lenu[…]

Eight years ago, four elephants were rescued together from a circus in Maharashtra. These innocent souls had been forcibly removed from their natural habitats to experience agony under cruel captivity. Scarred, exhausted, and dispirited, the pachyderms were coerced to execute unnatural stunts for an audience. However, fate had other plans for[…]

George and Natalie are two of the most awe-inspiring felines at the Wildlife SOS Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre. The sibling duo has attracted large attention since their appearance in India's Jungle Heroes, a 6-episode series by National Geographic Channel that documented Wildlife SOS’ relentless efforts. George and Natalie are two of the[…]

With the smell of spring in the air, the resident Sloth bears at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) are slowly shedding their idleness from the winter season. This month, we shine the spotlight on Deva, a ‘dancing’ bear rescued in 2006. Deva was an emaciated five-year-old bear when he was rescued from the Kalandar community. His[…]

In the vast lands of southern India, roam the continent’s largest land creatures: Elephants. They move from one forest patch to another along with their fellow herd members. While foraging vegetation to satiate their hefty appetite, they venture into an agricultural field and raid the freshly grown crops. The locals and farmers are startled and […]

No matter how much we ever try, we can never truly understand what it is like to spend nearly 60 years being dragged forcefully from one place to another, merely for the purpose of begging. Holly is well aware of this feeling, as she herself underwent that horrific experience. This was the story of Holly, prior to her life at Wildlife[…]

Just like summers, the onset of winters requires special and unique arrangements as the rescued animals under our care have to brace for changes in the weather. Northern parts of India get especially bone-chilling and the various Wildlife SOS rescue centres, therefore, have to pull all the tricks out of their hats for the animals to remain[…]

‘Biodiversity’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘biological’ and ‘diversity’, which is the sum of all living organisms on planet Earth. But as with other ecological crises, biodiversity is impacted by anthropogenic activities too. In fact, around one million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction today. This urgent[…]

It was a tense yet hopeful winter afternoon in November 2021, when our team was preparing to rescue an elephant who had been battered by the absolute nadir of humanity. From there, it was a long journey to bring Pari home. Here, home refers to the Wildlife SOS Treatment Unit of the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) in Mathura. As[…]

Sundari, a 29-year-old Sloth bear under our care at Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC), spends a large part of her time gallivanting in her spacious field. While she interacts with nine other bears in her enclosure, she is closest to Tate. The two chase each other across the field and are even spotted sharing enrichments! After her friendly[…]

As the first rays of sunlight escape the veil of wispy clouds, the elephant caregivers arrive at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) in Mathura. They walk towards the various elephant enclosures, glance over the jumbos in deep sleep and make sure that they are all set to start the day. Some of the jumbos, like young Walnut, are[…]

After a long drive through heat and dust, my colleagues from Wildlife SOS and I approached the gates of the Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Agra. Navigating through the dense foliage of the sanctuary, with the picturesque Keetham lake by our side, we drove at an unhurried pace as one should within a sanctuary where animals often cross the road. On […]

Spread over 77 acres, the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) is divided into five different regions namely, Jambhava, Kishkinda, Panchavati, Chitrakuta and Dr. GKV Block. Ashok resides in the Panchavati region, which has been home to this 17-year-old male Sloth bear for the past 13 years. Ashok was rescued in 2009 at the young age of four[…]

It is that time of the year when the people of India unwind and come together to celebrate. That’s right, it’s the time of festivals! As entire cities prepare themselves to host festivals, people enjoy this break from daily work as they get immersed in the festive spirit. Festivals bring joy, gaiety and euphoria, but this certain joie de[…]

Lush trees at the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) form an overhead canopy, with serenity prevailing throughout the premises. Under the green blanket, Bintha enjoys frolicking in her enclosure, playing with fellow Sloth bears, Rose and Elvis. The trio thoroughly investigates new enrichments to find out what surprises they contain,[…]

Spotted owlets are common across the Indian subcontinent. You can spot one peeping out of a tree hole, or an entire family huddled together on a tree’s branch! Both the male and female of this species look alike: they have greyish-brown upperparts and white spots overall. Compared to most owls, this owlet has a relatively smaller body[…]

Wildlife SOS embarked upon an iconic journey to resolve the ‘dancing’ bear practice in India. During this project, it was observed that the rehabilitated Sloth bears exhibited certain unique behaviours. The bears had faced immense trauma as a consequence of lack of resources and physical torture. These experiences manifest into stereotypic[…]

At the time when Wildlife SOS was establishing the Van Vihar Bear Rescue Facility (VVBRF), authorities at the Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, placed four rescued wild sloth bears under the long-term care of Wildlife SOS, one of whom was Nathan. Nathan is a 30-year-old female and is our ‘Bear of the Month’. She has been[…]

The air was full of celebration and excitement (with a whiff of mango popsicles) at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre on Saturday as the Wildlife SOS team celebrated the 16th rescue anniversary of three former ‘dancing’ bears. A special guest and long-time supporter of Wildlife SOS, actress Samyukta Hornad, graced the occasion with her[…]

Harsh. Sweltering. Unforgiving. Scorching. These are just a few of the many words being used to describe the heatwaves that have blanketed India in the last two months. The average temperatures, especially in the Northern parts of the country, have reached a shocking 50 degree Celsius! We’ve found solutions to beat the summer heat for ourselves […]

Circuses were once a common place to sight elephants. They were made to perform to entertain audiences. However, each elephant was subjected to physical torture and mental trauma while being trained and were kept under dire conditions. Coconut was a victim of these circumstances. In 2015, she was  rescued by Wildlife SOS from a circus in[…]

Sweet, energetic and charming – Kamli is a very enchanting bear, but she wasn’t always this way. She has had a painful past, just like most of the others at Agra Bear Rescue Facility. She was stolen as a cub from her mother, who was probably killed by poachers, to be sold into the barbaric ‘Dancing Bears’ tradition in the city of Varanasi […]

As Mother's Day comes along, we would like to take the time to highlight some of the most loving and daring mothers found in India's jungles. These moms are ready to risk it all; be it carrying their young ones on their backs, nursing them despite the harshest conditions, or even fighting tooth and nail for their offspring's safety! Nature is[…]

Mangee became one of the earliest members of the Wildlife SOS family when we rescued her in the winter of 2002 from a Kalandar family in Uttar Pradesh. Cubs being poached from the wild, while their mothers were killed when they tried to defend their young, is the most common story with regards to ‘dancing bears’. Eventually the delicate[…]

Jovial, extroverted, and playful - a personality like that of Elvis is impossible to miss and be charmed by. The seven-year-old is possibly one of the most lovable and friendly sloth bears residing at the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Facility. However, his life today is in sheer contrast to what it was when he was rescued by our team in the year […]

A mother killed in the wild by poachers and leaving the cubs to fend for themselves is a brutal truth, and something similar happened to Kuber and his brother Nakul. These bear siblings were around two months old when their mother was killed by poachers, leaving the cubs alone and vulnerable in the forest. Fortunately, the Wildlife SOS[…]

Year of arrival: 2007 Age at the time of arrival: One-and-a-half years Sex: Male Personality traits: Playful and filled with energy Recognisable features: A previously infected muzzle, which is now completely healed Present health condition: Currently being provided vitamin[…]

Year of rescue: 2006 Age at the time of rescue: 5  Sex: Female Personality traits: Active, inquisitive, curious Recognisable features: A piercing wound on her muzzle from her daning bear days Present health condition: Under geriatric care Facility: Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre Favourite food: Peanut butter, dates, […]

On 23rd January, our ever-shining ray of Hope, Asha (meaning hope in Hindi), bid us farewell. The Elephant Conservation and Care Center that once reverberated with Asha's loud trumpets and the laughter of her caregiver, Babu Lal, fell silent. As Asha left, she took a piece of all our hearts with her. Yet, what she left behind was a pivotal lesson […]

The  caregivers at all the Wildlife SOS Centers are extremely hard-working, dedicated and passionate in their work with the animals. They form the backbone of our organisation who are responsible for the daily well-being of the animals. One such member of the bear care staff is Murari Lal who, for the last eleven years, has been caring for[…]

The bear of the month for November is our shy and introverted Leena! Unlike some of our other bears who catch the eyes of all the caregivers in the vicinity, Leena prefers not to be the centre of attention. Rather, she is one of the quieter and more withdrawn bears at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility. She usually keeps to herself and prefers to[…]

Wildlife SOS’s youngest ever rescue and a cherished member of the Nut Herd, our Elephant of the Month for October is none other than the sprightly and vivacious Peanut!  Peanut then v/s now. Photo (c) Wildlife SOS. Peanut along with three other young elephants was rescued from a circus in Maharashtra where they were reduced to mere[…]

What do Coconut, Laxmi, Ramu and Zara share in common? Apart from the fact that they’re all rescued from traumatic conditions, they are all highly mischievous and the youngest residents of the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre. Learn all about how we care for the young elephants. [Photo (c) Wildlife SOS/Mradul[…]

Elephant herds are the living examples of the strongest familial relationships in the wild, each member of the herd has a role to play to ensure that the herd is safe. For an animal that thrives in the company of similar majestic beings, a life in captivity is nothing short of torture and injustice. This is precisely why, when rescued elephants,[…]

Youngest of the sloth bear sleuth and every keeper’s favourite, The Bear of the Month for August is Ron! His bubbly aura and vivacious personality warmed the hearts of staff and visitors alike. Ron was rescued in 2019 by Wildlife SOS’s anti-poaching unit ‘Forest Watch’ in a heroic operation. Ron along with four other sloth bears were[…]

Temperatures soaring to nearly 50 degrees centigrade (122F), every human across India is facing the brunt of this brutal summer! The summer months can be uncomfortable—even dangerous—for animals and people. It's difficult enough simply to cope with rising temperatures, let alone humidity. To avoid things from getting intense and to make our[…]

As maximum temperatures reach up to 47 degrees Celsius in parts of Uttar Pradesh, the team at the Elephant Conservation & Care Centre, Mathura have taken innovative measures to help the elephants beat that summer heat! At ECCC, all 28 resident pachyderms have access to their very own Jumbo swimming pools as well as water sprinklers that[…]

6 years ago, Wally was rescued from a circus and rehabilitated to the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre. As a performing elephant, Wally’s routine was fixed – forced to stay awake for hours and trained mercilessly to perform tricks such as playing with a football. As a reward, he would be given a meager amount of dry[…]

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In 2006, a goatherd who had taken his goats out to graze near a forest area in Mysore, Karnataka, was shocked to find an unexpected animal joining the herd. It turned out that a Sloth bear cub had followed his goats out of the forest! The young bear must have wandered too far from his mother and had gotten lost in the forest. Concerned[…]

June 13, 2023 Throughout our Volunteering Program the health and well-being of you and our staff is paramount. Please be assured that we will follow current government recommended guidelines at all times, and we ask that you also do the same. Keeping our staff healthy ensures they can care for the many animals at our rescue centres. If you are […]

Kuber was only a few months old when he took timid steps into the vast expanse of the Wildlife SOS Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in Bengaluru. Anxious to unfamiliar faces and new surroundings, Kuber and his brother, Nakul, were cowering in fear and shivering in starvation. They were rescued by Wildlife SOS anti-poaching unit “Forestwatch”[…]

The heartbreaking sight of a wounded elephant walking in pain along busy highways and narrow streets is the most prominent sign of abuse and ignorance that can be represented. Many people firmly believe that the elephant, whose body hosts chronic, infected wounds and abscesses, is actually well taken care of but the reality is far from what is[…]

*GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING* As we approach the new year, we have asked for your help in rescuing another elephant that desperately needs our care - 50-year-old Jai is now on the verge of a new journey of recovery with Wildlife SOS. Jai's story is heartrending - His cruel owner forced Jai to walk thousands of miles in spiked chains which led[…]

As gentle rumbles puncture the dawn at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura, 47-year-old Mia can be seen against the horizon with her constant companion Rhea, both of them walking at a slow, measured pace. Having reached the last leg of their daily walk, the two suddenly caught a whiff of something interesting; they sauntered off[…]

In the densely forested area of the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre, in Bengaluru, Dadapeer can be spotted hurriedly making his way to the bear kitchen as it nears feeding time! His brisk walking style and larger-than-life attitude make him a special member of the Wildlife SOS bear care team. Presenting Keeper of the Month from Bannerghatta[…]

“They say an elephant never forgets. What they don't tell you is, you never forget an elephant.” Anyone who meets Maya will heartily agree with the above statement. Once you interact with the exuberant pachyderm, it is impossible to forget her vivacity and joie-de-vivre. As she stands tall and proud munching on fresh, juicy sugarcane next[…]

Five years ago, four battered, bruised and dispirited elephants were rescued from a circus in Maharashtra. These young elephants were illegally poached and trafficked across borders to be subjected to a lifetime of misery and were forced to perform unnatural tricks for an audience who knew nothing of the pain they were in. The rescue ended their[…]

Time and again, your feeds on social media will be filled with one of our rescued elephants splashing around in the pools in their enclosures or napping comfortably in it. More often than not, an image of our elephants completely submerged in water with just a trunk lazily hanging on the edge shows their complete relaxation and joy. In the[…]

There is something majestic and regal about a tusker walking, in all his grandiosity. For wildlife enthusiasts, spotting a tusker in the wild is the high-point of their lives. However, the brutal trade of poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking has made these sightings in the wild rarer than ever. Of one such brutalising story is that of[…]

When it comes to wild animals such as leopards, elephants and sloth bears that cannot be released back into their natural habitats, enrichments play a very important role in their rehabilitation. As free beings in their natural habitats, these animals spend hours in a day foraging for food and travelling long distances looking for apt shelters.[…]

India is a country rich in biodiversity and has a blend of cultures and a rich heritage that emphasizes the mythological importance of elephants that are prolific in Indian art, architecture, folklore and popular culture. Elephants are worshipped as avatars of the Elephant God “Lord Ganesh” but also, in ancient India they were used in battle[…]

As the sun rises over the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, a distinctive sound is heard across the centre. The keepers know who it is, and merely say, “Oh there goes Kandi, again.” The early riser makes his presence known the minute his eyes open and he’s not the lazy type at all. Waking up to a bright morning, Kandi rushes out into his enclosure […]

We have all probably grown up with our parents having to chase us to finish that lone piece of broccoli or the bits of carrots that lay abandoned in our plates. Even at our schools, teachers would give us countless lessons on the importance of eating vegetables to gain strength and immunity. This holds true not only for us but also for the[…]

Our elephants have the chance at life once again, due to the care and compassion of our elephant keepers, who work day-in and day-out so that our elephants are comfortable and content. Of one such large-hearted man is Babu lal, Asha and Suzy’s keeper, who hails from a village near Palwal, Haryana and has dedicated their entire life into taking[…]

It seems not long ago that circuses across the country would be jam-packed with an audience ranging from toddlers to older people who would eagerly anticipate a jumbo wearing colourful jackets walking into the performing area to stand on its two legs or lift a human up with their dexterous trunks! By the end of the show, when everyone would have[…]

Mothers come in all shapes and sizes, while most of ours have two limbs, there are some special ones that walk the face of Earth each day, protecting their little ones and teaching them all that they need to know about how to survive.  We are, of course, talking about some of nature’s formidable animal mothers! They constantly balance the[…]

Every year, the world has an unofficial celebration of the wonderful relationship between siblings on the 10th of April. We share a beautiful equation with our brothers and sisters as we grow up, spending every moment of joy and pain, health and sickness together. We continuously nurture and groom each other to be better, and play a very integral […]

Year of rescue: 2015 Age at the time of rescue: 18 years old Sex: Male Personality traits: Playful and energetic  Recognisable features: Prominent, capped tushes Present health condition: Healthy; not undergoing any treatment except regular footbaths. Facility: Treatment Unit at ECCC Favourite food: Green[…]

Year of rescue: 2015 Age at the time of rescue: 6 years Sex: Female Personality traits: Mischievous, playful Recognisable features: Small, no depigmentation and slightly torn ears at the top Present health condition: Not undergoing any treatment, healthy  Facility: Treatment Unit at ECCC Favourite food:[…]

Year of rescue: 2015 Age at the time of rescue: 4 years old Sex: Female Personality traits/quirks: Curious and playful Recognizable features: Abnormal gait due to gunshot wound Physical condition and ongoing health challenges: Not undergoing any treatment  Facility: Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre Favorite foods: […]

Year of rescue: 2008 Age at the time of rescue: 6 years old Sex: Female Personality traits/quirks: Shy and lazy Recognizable features: None Physical condition and ongoing health challenges: Not undergoing any treatment; healthy Facility: Agra Bear Rescue Facility  Favorite foods: Coconut Sanctuary friends:[…]

Year of rescue: 2015 Age at the time of rescue: 3 months old Sex: Male Personality traits: Jovial, extroverted, playful Recognisable features: None Present health condition: Healthy; not undergoing any treatment Facility: Agra Bear Rescue Facility Favourite food: Watermelons, porridge, dates & coconuts Closest[…]

Year of rescue: 2011 Age at the time of rescue: 2 months old Sex: Male  Personality traits: Friendly, playful, very sociable. Kuber suckles on his brother Nakul’s ears when he is stressed Recognizable features: none so clear Physical condition and ongoing health challenges: Kuber’s physical condition currently is[…]

What a beautiful thing to have, imagination, and there is none stronger than that which is lent wings by a child’s whimsy and innocence. At the Children’s Art Fest 2020, a land of imagination was built by youngsters – they told stories capturing the essence of Wildlife SOS rescues, they stitched quilts for the elephants under the care of[…]

The enclosure number 1 at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) is known as the oldies’ den, where the sleuth of our elderly and blind bears resides. While the resident sloth bears of this enclosure take life at an easier pace due to their advancing age, one cannot help but notice a stark exception in the group who singlehandedly tips the energy[…]

Aleem has been part of the Wildlife SOS family for over 13 years now. Currently residing at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, Aleem’s past life was strikingly different than the one he lives today. Watching him play in the company of other rescued bears, it is almost impossible to believe that Aleem was once living under such brutal conditions,[…]

Years of working and begging on the streets for her cruel master had broken down Kalpana’s body immensely and caused her a great deal of mental trauma. After nearly four decades of abuse and suffering, she finally found the much-deserved and needed respite in her life when she arrived at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital for treatment and care. […]

Lakshmi was just a cub when she was snatched away from her mother and her forested home, only to be sentenced to a life filled with misery and pain. She was forced to become a dancing bear and made to perform unnatural tricks for people’s entertainment. The horror Lakshmi had to go through to learn how to dance and perform is unspeakable. She[…]

Kabilan was rescued from a Kalandar settlement in Uttar Pradesh in 2007. He was a little over a year old at the time, but the young bear had already been exposed to a life of sheer cruelty. He was weak, half-starved and in absolute agony due to a muzzle infection, caused by the constant tugging of a course rope that was pushed through a pierced[…]

Barely a year old, Rose was rescued from the state of Madhya Pradesh in 2016. Trapped in a poacher's snare, she fell victim to the heinous crime of poaching cubs from the wild and incorporating them into the cruel practice of dancing bears. Snares are lethal hunting devices which can cause severe lacerations, joint dislocations, mutilations,[…]

Extending her support to save the Asian elephants, Miss Universe Great Britain 2018, Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers appealed to supporters and wildlife enthusiasts to save India’s heritage animal and contribute to the efforts of wildlife conservation. Supporting the cause of Wildlife SOS, Miss. Kentish-Rogers visited the Wildlife SOS Elephant[…]

Six years old and nearly half the weight she should have been, Ambika was forced to spend her days working as a dancing bear in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Her Kalandar masters would keep her tied up all day long, with little access to potable water and feed her frugal meals which made her severely malnourishment and turned her coat dry and[…]

The month of July started on a very sad note for the Wildlife SOS family, as we suffered an unexpected loss in the form of our beloved bear Akbar.  A little over 26 years of age, he lost his long fight against severe pulmonary Tuberculosis and liver dysfunction. Often referred to as “The Angry Old Man” by our bear keepers, Akbar’s[…]

In 2008, the Wildlife SOS team rescued a timid little sloth bear from a Kalandar family in Andhra Pradesh. The bear was a little over nine months old but physically she appeared to be much younger owing to her tiny, gaunt frame. Lack of a healthy, nutritious diet coupled with unfavorable living conditions and neglect for her general well-being had […]

Nakul and his brother Kuber were barely a few months old when they were rescued from Tumkur district, Karnataka in 2011. Poachers had killed their mother who was trying to simply defend her babies. They were planning on smuggling the cubs out of the state but had to forfeit the plan and run off own their own before our team and law enforcers[…]

Just days after a nine month old female sloth bear was rescued from a deadly poacher’s snare on the outskirts of a forest in Gangadharan gudde, the Wildlife SOS team operating from the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Center responded to another distress call about a wild bear that was reportedly trapped in a barbed wire fence outside a coconut[…]

Pooja was around 18 months old when she first arrived at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility in 2008. She was rescued from a Kalandar community in Uttar Pradesh and as in the case of most captive sloth bears that were forced into becoming performing animals, Pooja bore the scars of physical and psychological abuse inflicted upon by her masters. The rope […]

Nearly every elephant in captivity has been caught from the wild, snatched from its family and mother by ruthless poachers – and then enslaved for the entirety of its life. The exploitation of elephants is not only horrifying in terms of the mental and physical impact it has on individual elephants in captivity, but also the extreme detrimental[…]

In April 2015, 6 year old Peanut  became the youngest elephant ever to be rescued by Wildlife SOS. Peanut was part of a group of four young elephants that had spent the entirety of their lives performing in a circus in the Indian state of Maharashtra. When not being made to perform demeaning and often dangerous tricks for the amusement of the[…]

With the summer of 2015 came warm sunshine and big changes at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, Mathura – as not one, but four, new elephants made their way to their forever home at the Wildlife SOS rescue centre in northern India. Travelling all the way from the west Indian state of Maharashtra, these four elephants were not just the[…]

On catching a glimpse of Amitabh taking a quiet, blissful nap in his forested enclosure at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, one could find it rather difficult to imagine the horrors that this sloth bear has faced in the past. In 2003, we were fortunate enough to have rescued a seven month old Amitabh from a group of poachers before they had the[…]

Six year old Arifa was a victim of the ‘dancing bear’ trade, an illegal practice that was once prevalent across India. With no anesthesia, a red hot iron poker had been driven through her tender muzzle at a very young age and as part of the training process, Arifa would be beaten repeatedly and starved for days till she gave into the will of[…]