Bear Bating in Pakistan: A Short History

Background:

Pakistan supports two species of bears i.e. Black bear and Brown bear. Two sub-species of Black bear are recognized which are Himalayan Black bear and Baluchistan Black bear. The Brown Bear and the Himalayan Black bear inhabit high mountain region in the North-West Frontier Province, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas. Himalayan black bear is restricted to Himalayan moist and dry temperate forest and adjoining sub-alpine scrub, while the Brown bear inhabits drier sub-alpine and alpine meadows of the cold desert region. Baluchistan black bear has a limited distribution in Baluchistan Province.

Both the species of bears are threatened due to habitat degradation, killing of bears in defense of livestock and crop and for bear parts having use in traditional medicines. The most alarming threat to the bears comes from persecution of bear cubs for use in bear baiting and for street dancing. Hundreds of bear cubs are reportedly captured every year for this purpose. It is understood that in most cases the mother bear protecting the cubs is killed by the poachers.

BAN ON BEAR BAITING

International animal welfare organizations became very active in late 1980s and launched campaign against bear baiting in Pakistan. World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA) was in the fore-front. This campaign received overwhelming support in North America, Europe, Africa and Australia. Conservationists in Pakistan also supported the campaign not only because of the cruelty of the sport but also for the reason that the sport was a persistent threat to the survival of bears in the wild. The Government of Pakistan through administrative order imposed a ban on bear baiting which was widely publicized and implemented.

IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS

The complete and effective implementation of ban on bear baiting however posed technical problems. It was difficult to confiscate the bears on the first hand due to non-availability of trained bear handlers in the provincial wildlife department. Secondly it was not possible to release the confiscated bear into wild due to following reasons:

• The domesticated bears do not have teeth and claws and thus become incapable of gathering food and protect themselves against other predators in the wild. They are thus totally dependent upon human beings for food.
• They have become so familiar with human beings that while roaming free they can inflict injuries to people and cause panic and harassment.
• The bear habitat has shrunk considerably by loss of vegetative cover and expansion of human population. Any attempt of reintroduction of these bears to the wild is apt to fail because the domesticated bears will return to human settlement for food.

THE BEAR CENTER