JIMMY'S STORY
Recently, the Madhya Pradesh forest officials rescued a baby sloth bear from a drain below a busy highway in Shahdol near the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Having found the abandoned cub 3-4 days prior in the culvert, with the mother bear missing, officials decided to wait and monitor the area closely, recognising the possibility that the mother might return to reclaim her infant. It is believed that local disturbances caused the mother to flee, leaving this cub behind while possibly escaping with another. However, when the mother did not return and the cub began showing signs of hunger and distress, the officials finally intervened and rescued him. The forest officials took the cub to Bandhavgarh National Park, where he was provided with medical care for three days to help him recuperate. However, to sustain his health and welfare, a long-term solution was required. This was when the forest officials reached out to Wildlife SOS, and the cub arrived at VVBRF in Bhopal, where he is receiving neonatal care.
Under the expert supervision of the Wildlife SOS veterinary team, Jimmy, as he has been affectionately named, is receiving specialised, round-the-clock care. Our dedicated caregivers ensure he gets the constant attention he would have received from his mother in the wild, who nurses her cubs even through the night.
In these early stages, he’s being fed every four hours to avoid long gaps between meals. His diet includes a carefully prepared mix of finger millet (ragi) porridge and a specially formulated milk blend, designed to be gentle on his stomach while meeting all his nutritional needs. Showing typical teething behaviour, Jimmy eagerly chews on everything he can find — often tumbling on the ground or climbing enrichment in his enclosure with growing curiosity!
