A Journey for Sloth Bears: Our Team's Conservation Expedition

A Sloth Bear at Wildlife SOS's Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Center. Photo provided by Claire McElroy.

LITTLE ROCK (February 24, 2025) - In November 2024, three staff members from the Little Rock Zoo joined a team of animal care staff and veterinarians to travel to India and Sri Lanka with SAFE Sloth Bear. This year’s trip provided an invaluable opportunity to strengthen international partnerships in sloth bear conservation, share expertise, and support ongoing research and community initiatives.

Zoo Staff at the Wildlife SOS’s Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Center. Photo provided by Dr. Laura Bernstein-Kurtycz.

What is SAFE Sloth Bear?

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) programs focus the expertise in AZA-accredited institutions and leverage their audiences to save species. The Little Rock Zoo is a founding member of SAFE Sloth Bear, with leadership by Dr. Laura Bernstein-Kurtycz,  Zoo Conservation and Research Coordinator, as Vice Program Leader, and Carnivore Curator Debbie Thompson serving on the Steering Committee.

SAFE Sloth Bear is made up of 12 partner zoos and three international field partners in India and Sri Lanka. In its first year, SAFE Sloth Bear received a grant from AZA to help fund these partners in conducting critical sloth bear research, including preparing to assess sloth bear threat status in the wild. Field partners in both countries are working to create updated sloth bear range maps, which will be essential for assessing population trends and directing future conservation efforts. These data will also guide the next IUCN Red List assessment, expected in 2026. Future projects include supporting research in reducing human-bear conflict in India and learning more about the Sri Lankan sloth bear.

A group photo at the Wildlife SOS’s Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Center, with everyone from SAFE Sloth Bear and all of the sanctuary staff. Photo provided by Dr. Laura Bernstein-Kurtycz.

Wildlife SOS: Protecting and Rehabilitating India’s Sloth Bears

Founded in 1995, Wildlife SOS began as a small rescue center in New Delhi, operated by a dedicated team determined to aid wildlife in distress. Today, it has grown into India’s largest wildlife rescue organization, managing 12 centers across the country. Wildlife SOS works to protect India’s wildlife through habitat conservation, biodiversity research, and community engagement—offering sustainable alternatives to those historically dependent on poaching or wildlife exploitation.

One of the organization’s most significant achievements has been the eradication of the practice of ‘dancing’ bears in India. For over 400 years, sloth bears were exploited by the Kalandar community, initially for Mughal emperors and later as roadside entertainment. This practice involved poaching cubs from the wild and forcing a metal ring or rope through their muzzle. When the bear would move to relieve the pressure, it appeared to be “dancing.”

Conservation cannot occur without good faith efforts to work with local communities. Wildlife SOS worked with the Kalandar community to end this practice, by teaching the adults new skills that allowed them to make a living in other ways, and by ensuring that the children could receive an education. Through collaboration with local people, the Indian government, and other organizations, Wildlife SOS successfully rescued and rehabilitated over 620 former dancing bears. As of 2009, the practice was eradicated in India.

The animal care and veterinary staff on the SAFE Sloth Bear project trip worked closely with their counterparts at one of the bear rescue centers managed by Wildlife SOS (WSOS), where 60 of these rescued bears now reside. Many of these aging sloth bears suffer from a variety of medical issues related to the dancing bear trade and their age.

The primary goal was for experienced trainers from SAFE partner zoos to teach Wildlife SOS staff how to better use operant conditioning to allow the bears to participate in their daily and veterinary care. These included:

• Training bears to voluntarily present body parts for health checks, like presenting their leg or opening their mouth
• Training them for cooperative teeth brushing
• Helping them to position themselves and remain still for ultrasounds and blood draws
• Desensitizing training with medical equipment and personnel

Many of the rescued bears were eager to participate in training sessions and quickly learned new behaviors. For others, getting comfortable around new people was more of a struggle. However, sometimes, this led to some of the most rewarding accomplishments. In one such success story, the team worked with Ankitha, a bear who had previously refused to enter her den space while any Wildlife SOS staff or veterinarians were present. By the end of the exchange, Ankitha willingly approached the inside door of the den, accepted honey from keepers, and even let the WSOS staff touch her muzzle through the mesh. This small change marks a major milestone that will ultimately allow the WSOS staff to better care for her, while growing confidence in their own skills, opening more opportunities for improved welfare.

A group photo from Sri Lanka, with all of the wildlife vets who attended the workshop organized by Chandima Fernando, SLWCS. Photo provided by Dr. Laura Bernstein-Kurtycz.

Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS)

 As part of their expedition, the team also traveled to Sri Lanka to collaborate with local wildlife officials and researchers, strengthening connections among sloth bear conservationists. This was the first time the members of SAFE Sloth Bear had traveled to Sri Lanka, where the Program Leaders and trip participants met members of the newest field partner, Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS). Their goal was to exchange expertise in wildlife medicine and support research on the country’s sloth bear population. SLWCS has been conducting research on elephants in Sri Lanka for 25 years, but sloth bear research is only just beginning. Further, the team was joined by the founder of the third SAFE Sloth Bear field partner, the Wildlife Conservation Biology Research Foundation. With four staff from Wildlife SOS also making the trip from India with the SAFE team, all of the SAFE Sloth Bear field partners could meet in person for the very first time. The opportunity for all three field partners and SAFE leadership to meet in person was invaluable.

Dr. Stoneburg performs an ultrasound on a giant squirrel during a wildlife medicine workshop in Sri Lanka.

SLWCS organized informational talks for wildlife officials and veterinarians to learn more about sloth bears and wildlife medicine. Dr. Sara Stoneburg, the Little Rock Zoo’s head veterinarian, and Dr. Sarrah Kaye, a veterinarian from Smithsonian’s National Zoo, gave talks for the wildlife veterinarians. Topics included field medicine, wildlife forensics, and how to perform ultrasounds, among others. Dr. Stoneburg also introduced them to newly donated medical equipment, providing training on how to use it effectively for the benefit of the animals in their care.

Sloth bear Hani with special Wildlife SOS enrichment at the Little Rock Zoo on World Sloth Bear Day 2024. Photo By Karen Caster.

Looking Ahead: The Impact of Sloth Bear SAFE

The Little Rock Zoo is proud to be a program partner in the SAFE Sloth Bear program, actively contributing to efforts that protect sloth bears and support global conservation initiatives.

As part of this initiative, our team members, alongside partners in India and Sri Lanka, gained invaluable knowledge, contributed to important research, and helped improve the care of rescued bears.

You can be a part of the solution! Visit the Little Rock Zoo to learn more about sloth bears and how you can support their conservation. Every visit helps fund our efforts to protect sloth bears and other species around the globe. For an even closer look, consider booking a Sloth Bear Behind-the-Scenes Experience, where you’ll get an exclusive, up-close encounter while learning firsthand about their care and conservation. Want to make an even bigger impact? Donate to our Conservation Fund and help us continue vital efforts to protect wildlife for generations to come!