RON'S RESCUE STORY
Wildlife SOS anti-poaching unit Forest Watch and the Jharkhand Forest Department came together to nab wildlife traffickers who were about to smuggle five sloth bears through the Indo-Nepal border. The bears were rescued in November 2019 and were brought to the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, where a new life awaited them. One of the bears rescued was two-year-old Ron.
The bears were intended for sale to other middlemen when the traffickers were intercepted by the authorities. The offenders had also smashed the teeth of all five bears with metal rods and mutilated their muzzles so as to insert a rope that would be tugged to make them ‘dance’. The timely intervention helped to rescue Ron and the other four bears from illegal trafficking and a lifetime of torture.
When Ron arrived at the centre with his companions, he was placed in quarantine. During this period of isolation, the veterinarians at Wildlife SOS conducted a detailed medical examination on the young bear to check his health. Ron was also given positive conditioning lessons to ensure maximum comfort with regular medical checkups. While a little hesitant at first, Ron figured out that for every successful interaction, he would be rewarded with his favourite treats.
The five rescued bears were named after members of the Weasley family from Harry Potter. Ron is a happy bear with abundant energy.
