Gracie
Year of arrival: 2026
Age at the time of arrival: Approximately 10 to 12 years old
Sex: Female
Personality traits: Calm, shy
Facility: Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF)
Favourite food: Anything mixed with milk and honey
Favourite activities: Relaxing on her hammock
Background: In March 2026, the Wildlife SOS rescue team travelled to Jharkhand after receiving information from the Jamtara Forest Division about an adult female sloth bear that had been confiscated from illegal captivity as a ‘dancing’ bear. With the timely intervention and support of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Jamtara, Jharkhand, the Wildlife SOS team safely secured Gracie and brought her to the Agra Bear Rescue Facility for long-term care.
Gracie’s Story
Gracie was seized by the Jamtara Forest Division after receiving a call about a ‘dancing’ sloth bear. Upon assessment by Wildlife SOS at the site, the team found her incisors and canine teeth forcibly removed, and wounds around areas where ropes were tightly tied. The rope used to tug her by handlers was still painfully embedded in her nose, and perhaps to reduce the pulling sensation, she would constantly hold this muzzle rope in her mouth. In addition, she was visually impaired in her left eye due to severe corneal scarring, most likely from old trauma or an untreated infection.
At the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, Gracie was provided immediate veterinary support for her physical condition. Her caregiver and the medical team are ensuring that her dietary needs and requirements are being met. After a lifetime of extreme neglect, Gracie is finally receiving comfort and space to heal from the mental trauma she has experienced.
Gracie will remain under quarantine and close veterinary supervision as the team works to restore her health and help her begin a life free from exploitation.
Along with the many other rescued ‘dancing’ bears in our care, Gracie has been given a renewed lease of life thanks to the steadfast support of our long-standing partners, International Animal Rescue (IAR).
