Taking off my “tigress cap” for the moment, I wish to talk about my visit to the Wildlife SOS bear rescue center in Agra many years back. It was an eye opening and heart wrenching experience.
Certain tribes in India have traditionally used bears for their livelihood by making them “dance” on the streets. This was prohibited by a 1998 amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. After a sustained effort by conservationists, this practice has now completely stopped. The last dancing bear was set free in 2009.
The method applied for “training” a sloth bear in India was the most ruthless and cruel practice that could ever exist. Poachers would track a mother bear with 2 to 4 months cubs and kill the mother using poisoned meat or traps. The cubs would then be smuggled in small bags, their teeth broken using hammers and their claws cut off. They would be kept in small cages with no space for movement and, without the use of anesthesia, hot iron rods inserted through their nose – one of the most sensitive parts of their body. The rod would then be tied with ropes and the wound always kept fresh and bleeding in order to control the bear.
As for the “dance”, a bear cannot be taught how to dance! The bears would be dragged on hot bricks so they jump up on their two hind legs to save themselves from burns while there would be loud music playing around them to make them associate the dance with music. Sheer torture!
While the bear torture in India is a story of the past, the reason of writing this blog is to bring out to the world at large that whether it is the bear dance in India, the circus games of the US and Europe, the display of the drugged lions and tigers in Thailand or the games played by the Orca killer whales in the Sea World – the story is that of a tortured and distressed animal. The animals are tortured into submission after their families are killed. Please raise this awareness and stay away from such gory displays. Support the cause of freeing these animals and motivate organizations like Wildlife SOS to continue the great work they are doing.
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