Animals

Why Sloth Bear Need Dens

Many people have heard that bears use dens. However, most are unfamiliar that different species of bears use dens in

Rescues From The Helpline — May 2024

Learn how Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Units are rescuing dehydrated animals in distress during the summer season, including birds, reptiles, and mammals.

Hand-Rearing Hope For Bear Cubs

In 2007, a heart-wrenching discovery at Srinagar’s Botanical Garden led the Wildlife SOS team to two abandoned Asiatic black bear

If Open Wells Could Talk…

Hidden beneath the lush vegetation, open wells have unwittingly become a hazard for our precious wildlife. Originally dug to quench

What Is A Sloth Bear?

When one hears the name “Sloth bear” for the first time, it can be quite puzzling to imagine what this

Knowing The World’s Rhinos

Rhinoceroses are one of the most fascinating and certainly one of the largest land animals to exist today. Despite that,

Venomous Vipers of India

With over 30 species inhabiting various habitats across India, vipers are one of the most dreaded snakes. From snow-capped mountains

Bear Of The Month – Zara

Over a decade ago, two young Asiatic black bears were found huddled within the trunk of a burnt Chinar tree.

Animals That Welcome The Monsoon!

Monsoon arrives and so do numerous creatures from the natural world! One can witness interesting phenomena, right in the backyard.

Sturdy Scales Withstand It All

Many animals like reptiles, pangolins, fish, butterflies, and moths – have an array of spectacular scales on their bodies.

The Pride Of Animals

In the animal world, numerous species form same-sex relationships. They cooperate with one another, defend territories, and bring up young

Decoding Snake Venoms

Ophidiophobia is the fear of snakes. These reptiles have been the subject of misconceptions, causing many humans to fear them.

Birds Need You This Summer!

This summer, unprecedented and prolonged temperature changes have taken a toll on urban wildlife. Read to find out how you can help birds!

Get To Know Your Indian Bears!

From fairy tales like ‘Goldilocks and The Three Bears’ to stories like ‘The Jungle Book’, bears have made an appearance

Know Your Indian Wild Cats

While many know of Wildlife SOS’ leopard conservation efforts, a little-known fact is that we have also had the opportunity

Venomous Snakes Of India

Lord Voldemort’s deadly snake companion, Nagini, was responsible for many terrifying moments in the Harry Potter series. The portrayal of

Top Rescues of 2021

2021 has been a difficult year with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. While it continued to affect all aspects

Elephant of the Month: Mia

It’s been almost six years since the brave and vivacious Mia was rescued from the cycle of pain and misery

The Dark Side Of Wildlife Trade

In 2021, it is common knowledge that the illegal wildlife trade has devastating consequences on our ecological balance and biodiversity,

Staff Profile: Mr. Baiju Raj

Zesty in spirit and compassionate at heart, our Staff of the Month for October is Agra Bear Rescue Facility’s Senior

Evolution of Bears

A modern-day bear’s adaptation is a unique journey of evolution and indeed a fascinating one. Their initial evolution began about

Bear Of the Month – Ron

Youngest of the sloth bear sleuth and every keeper’s favourite, The Bear of the Month for August is Ron! His

Bugs, Bears, and Beyond

Wild animals are expert predators and foragers, capable of finding sufficient food in the most efficient way. What’s interesting is

Bear of the month – Swati

Monsoons at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre is a beautiful time with lush greenery all around and our sloth bears

The Tale of Tipu

In 2006, a goatherd who had taken his goats out to graze near a forest area in Mysore, Karnataka, was

Bear of the Month: Cupid

A reigning joke at the Wildlife SOS Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre is that curiosity and an utter disregard for boundaries

Elephant of the Month: Suzy

In the words of Greek philosopher Plutarch – “….the elephant also is become man’s plaything, and a spectacle at public

Rescues from the Helpline: July!

Every month, we receive hundreds of calls regarding urban wildlife in distress. To combat the rising number of conflict cases,

Bear of the Month – Polly

Morning starts with eagerness within the enclosure; every new day brings with it tons of delicious honey-laced porridge, which is

An Update on the Weasleys!

In the world of conservation, the phenomenon of poaching is a dreaded nemesis that all preservationists have to deal with.

Bear of the Month: Ranjan

As the mercury oscillates indecisively between hot, humid mornings, and cool rainy evenings, time seems to have slowed down at

Top Ten Unusual Reptile Rescues!

Over the years, our 24-hour Rapid Response Unit has encountered reptiles and several other wild animals in the most unexpected

Bear of the Month – Kandi

As the sun rises over the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, a distinctive sound is heard across the centre. The keepers

Bear of the Month: Abhay

Abhay’s story is reminiscent of the condition of thousands of sloth bears that were once a part of the barbaric

Bear of the Month: Titli

If Agra Bear Rescue Facility’s enclosure 14 could share tales of Titli’s exploits, we’d all have a story worthy of

A run to raise Awareness!

On the 19th of May 2019, the Garden City of Bengaluru awoke with cheer for over twenty five thousand registered

Bear of the month: Rozy

Rozy and Fancy were barely a week old when members of the Department of Horticulture stumbled upon the duo within

Bear Of The Month: Ambika!

Six years old and nearly half the weight she should have been, Ambika was forced to spend her days working

FAQ For Elephant Riding

My friends rode an elephant and said it was an amazing experience – what’s so terrible about it? It may

Bear Of The Month: Durga!

Durga was rescued from Ramnagara and brought to Wildlife SOS in 2007 as a result of a human-wildlife conflict incident.

Bear Of The Month: Sonia!

In 2008, the Wildlife SOS team rescued a timid little sloth bear from a Kalandar family in Andhra Pradesh. The

Bear Of The Month: Ratna!

Pleasant temperatures and lush greens are a normal occurrence during this time of year at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre

#SaveSuman Campaign

On September 27, 2011, in a dank and filthy circus camp in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, a 24 year old female elephant

Bear Of The Month: Sarasu

Sarasu had spent almost three years tied to the end of a small rope, performing for her master out of

Bear Of The Month: Kasthuri

Kasthuri was rescued from a Kalandar settlement in West Bengal in 2007. She was only six months old at the

Bear Of The Month: Pooja

Pooja was around 18 months old when she first arrived at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility in 2008. She was

In Memory of Mohan

Our journey with Mohan started long before he arrived at the Elephant Conservation and Care Center. For more than a

Bear Of The Month: Elvis!

Possibly one of the most lovable and friendly sloth bears at the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Facility, Elvis’ life

It’s Peanut Day!

In April 2015, 6 year old Peanut became the youngest elephant ever to be rescued by Wildlife SOS. Peanut was

Community Outreach Program in J&K

Wildlife SOS continuously makes efforts to reach out to rural and urban communities, especially those living near wildlife habitats to

Bear Of The Month: Yogi

Wildlife SOS’s anti-poaching unit rescued Yogi bear from Bihar in 2011. Our team received a tip off about a group

Bear Of The Month: Rani!

Rani is the most famous sloth bear at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility and she holds a very special place

Bear Of The Month: Odom!

Starved, abused and forced to live the agonising life of a dancing bear, Odom was confined to a life of

Gajraj FAQ and Updates

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) ABOUT GAJRAJ ELEPHANT 1. Who is Gajraj — what’s his story? Gajraj is a 70- to

In Loving Memory of Herbie

July 2006 signalled the start of a torrid monsoon at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, and a new life for

Bear Of The Month: Manali

Sometimes it is difficult to decide whether Manali is more adorable or naughty. Then we realize that it is her

Bear Of The Month: Goldie

It has been many years since we welcomed Goldie into the Agra Bear Rescue Centre. He was rescued from a

Human Wildlife Conflict

By- Kartick Satyanarayan India’s population explosion combined with its rapidly increasing density of people per square kilometer, vehicles, roads, industries

Bear Of The Month: Suri

When rescuing ‘Dancing Bears’ from Kalandars, one of the most heartbreaking things was to find young cubs as captives. Suri

Bear Of The Month: Chingari

It has been nine years since the nightmare of brutality and exploitation has ended for Chingari. She was born to

Bear Of The Month: Valmiki

Valmiki bear was rescued from the Indo-Nepal border in 2010. His Kalandar owners were intercepted at the border just as

FAQ ON SIDDA ELEPHANT

1.) How old do you think Sidda is? Sidda is a young bull elephant, whose estimated age is 35 years.

Bear Of The Month: Kanmani

A heavy iron ring forcefully pushed through their tender muzzle and a thick rope tied around the nose and neck,

A Webinar On Mohan’s Rescue

When Mohan’s story first entered the public domain, his plight captivated hearts everywhere – and people around the world became

Bear Of The Month: Hamsi

A victim of man-animal conflict, four year old Hamsi was rescued from a village in Bandipur, Karnataka in February 2015.

Lend a Hand To Buy More Land

For captive elephants in India, space to roam is practically unimaginable. Tethered in the same place for hours, for many

Elvis Bear Turns One!

Approaching Elvis’ enclosure at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, you are greeted by his nose, reaching out towards you, twitching

Remembering Lenzolita

The month of February ended on a sad note for the Wildlife SOS family, as we suffered an unexpected loss

Tackling Monkey Menace in Agra

In recent years, the city of Agra has become home to an increasing population of Rhesus macaques. Being highly adaptable

Bear Of The Month: Akki

Akki is a male sloth bear who spent the first five years of his life as an oppressed ‘dancing bear’

Top 15 Rescues Of 2015

For Wildlife SOS, 2015 had its fair share of highs and lows, and brought with it all the memorable, pulse-racing

The Art Of Awareness !

In the drizzle of the rain and the rolling hills of Junnar, the students of the Onkoreshwar Tribal School walk

Suzy’s New Life At ECCC

Suzy is a blind performing elephant that has suffered a lot of neglect at the circus where she was forced

Welcoming Suzy!

The plight of elephants in circuses is disturbing since they are continuously in chains and only let off when performing;

Meet Rengu!

11 year old Rengu is one of the most simple and quiet bears at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF).

Meet Bobby!

Bobby is a new member of our team residing at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF). He was rescued by

Meet Ashish

Ashish Batura has been a dedicated and invaluable member of the Wildlife SOS team since 2008. Recently, he relocated to

Raju Learns New Skills

Tell us who you are and how you started working with Wildlife SOS? My name is Steve Koyle and I’m

Raju needs your voice

Raju has suffered 50 years of unimagineable cruelty. Two months ago, the world worked together to set him free. But

Raju awaits freedom

We have some great news, there is now a court order that is allowing for us to finally rescue an

Coming home!

by- Suvidha Bhatnagar In a crucial rescue operation carried out by the Wildlife Protection Department and Wildlife SOS, an eight

Meet Pepper Bear!

By Kadambari Atri Pepper was rescued from Badoi village in Uttar Pradesh on 21st March 2010. He was a 3

International Biodiversity Day

by- Aaliya Mir An event was organized by Wildlife SOS on ‘International Day for Biological Diversity-2014 with the aim of

Inspiring Youth !

by- Suvidha Bhatnagar A team of 23 students from UNC Kenan- Flagler business school (United States) visited Wildlife SOS’s Elephant

Sibling Love

By Aaliya Mir February 7, 2014: Raja and Zara are three-year-old Moon Bears in Pahalgam. Rescued a little less than

Nargis beats Disability!

by- Suvidha Bhatnagar “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”- Scott Hamilton As part of the Kalandar Education

WILD PIG RESCUE

By Amanjeet Kaur A foggy winter morning recently, the team of Wildlife SOS received a call from RFO Raya about

Something called Hope!

by- Suvidha Bhatnagar “There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.”- J.R.R. Tolkien Wildlife SOS has

A volunteer’s experience

By Kirsty Angus We first found out about Wildlife SOS through a fellow Australian traveller and then saw a 2

Chain-free, finally

By Amanjeet Kaur Captive elephants in India have a cruel history of being used for begging, held in temples for

Help Wildlife SOS win $100 K

Wildlife SOS is participating in the Crowdrise Holiday Challenge. This is an opportunity for us to raise much needed funds

Aashiya’s Story

By Rakhee Sharma Aashiya comes from a poor Kalandar family. There are 6 in her family and Aashiya is the

Emotions depicted via brushes

By Tahir Gazanfar An inter school painting competition was held at the Kashmir Harvard Educational Institute, Habak, Naseembagh. The event

Meet Rajbir

By Resham Beri and Steffi Joseph Rajbir Singh is the coordinator of the Wildlife SOS Helpline Unit and has been

A new life for Shakir

By Steffi Joseph “And there’s always a way to begin with.”-Autumn Doughton In our attempt to solve the problem of

Hundreds of birds rescued

By Steffi Joseph In a historic rescue effort, over 300 birds were saved from the disaster that Cyclone Phailin caused

Three young sloth bears seized

By Resham Beri In a joint Anti-poaching operation by Jharkhand Forest Department, police and Wildlife SOS, three young sloth bears

Chanchal’s Delhi Belly

By Resham Beri, Chanchal, one of our rescued elephants is currently under going treatment for a digestive disorder. We began

6 tiger poachers convicted

By Steffi Joseph Delhi, 23 August: In a historic and landmark judgment issued by the Karnatak High Court, six tiger

Caught in the conflict

By Resham Beri With the advent of the monsoon season, our 24 hour animal rescue helpline has been buzzing with

Meet Manoj, our bear cook

As many of you know, in our work to solve the ‘dancing bear problem in India, we worked with the

A HANDFUL OF KITTENS

By Dr. Jordan Schaul (jordan@wildlifesos.org) Twelve hours of driving in the scorching summer heat is what our wildlife rescue team

Endangered gharials released

Photo not of gharial, but of juvenile mugger crocodile! By Dr. Jordan Schaul Last week we received great news from

The Race to Save Bijlee

*** PLEASE NOTE, THIS BIJLEE IS A DIFFERENT ELEPHANT THAN THE BIJLI THAT WE HAVE ALREADY RESCUED AND LIVES WITH

Two Young Bears Rescued

The Wildlife SOS Anti poaching team “Forestwatch” rescued two young bears from the border state of Bihar that lies on

Biking for Bears in Kashmir

By Aaliya Mir and Jordan Carlton Schaul Wildlife SOS was invited to help launch and participate in an exciting cycling

My Association with Wildlife

Wildlife SOS has programs working to try and inspire students to both care about wildlife and to take an active

Back with Mom

At 11 AM on January 26, Wildlife SOS had a surprise visitor. An 8 week old leopard cub had been

Remembering Champa

By Tamara Dormer Sometimes we look to others for inspiration and other times it shows up when we least expect

Reptile Conservation Program at JNU

Wildlife SOS recently organised an awareness and training program in Reptile handling at Delhi’s elite Jawaharlal Nehru University. Jawaharlal Nehru

Spotlight On: Adaptable Aarya

Nestled along the biodiverse stretch of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, our Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC) shines as the

The Tale Of Tuskers & Makhnas

The forests and grasslands of India are home to some of the most interesting fauna species, and among them reigns

Meet The Bat Families Of India!

Bats are amazing animals, found all over the world with the exception of Antarctica. Often misunderstood and shrouded by myths,

Happy Bear Day!

Bear! The mere four-letter word calls to mind visions of power, wilderness and intrigue. Perhaps it also brings the images

How Do Animals Feel?

We human beings are highly emotional creatures. We can explain what we feel through our facial expressions, body language and

Pioneering Animal Treatment At MLRC

Providing quality medical treatment is immensely crucial to wildlife conservation. On a planet where wild animals are constantly threatened by

The Nine Lives Of A Big Cat

The leopard (Panthera pardus or P. pardus) is one of the five extant species of cats belonging to the genus

Night Life In The Wild

After the curtains of the day fall, some members of the wild come out to play. Nocturnal animals add a

Bear Of The Month Kamli

Sweet, energetic and charming – Kamli is a very enchanting bear, but she wasn’t always this way. She has had

Evolution Of Big Cats

Cats have mastered the range of ferocity over their many years on this planet. They are thought to be the

Sexual Dimorphism Among Animals

In humans, one can easily distinguish between a male and a female. Several physical, physiological, or behavioural characteristics help in

Faunal Marvels Of The Mangrove

Mangrove forests mostly consist of trees and shrubs growing in intertidal areas (where land meets the sea). What is unique

8 Fascinating Shows On Wildlife!

Most urban dwellers have lost their connection with the natural environment due to the modification of our surroundings. This intrinsic

8 Fascinating Shows On Wildlife!

Most urban dwellers have lost their connection with the natural environment due to the modification of our surroundings. This intrinsic

A Peek Into Amphibian Life!

Hopping from branches into puddles, there’s so much more to the amphibian world than meets the eye. Let’s explore these wonders of nature!

Evolution of Elephants

The largest existing land mammal on the planet, Elephants, have a lasting effect on each individual who sets their eyes

Why You Should Not Feed Monkeys

With their beguiling eyes and swift movements, Rhesus Macaques can be commonly spotted swinging from one branch to another in

Bear of the Month: Dolly

Bubbly in spirit and zestful at heart, age is no barrier for the exuberant Dolly. The former victim of the

An Update on Ramu!

At the energetic age of 19 years, though Ramu is at the finality of his teenage years, there is no

Bear of the Month – Nawab!

The Himalayan brown bear is one of the most ancient brown bear lineages, occupying the remote, mountainous areas of Pakistan,

Bear of the Month: Mumtaz

15 years have passed since Mumtaz first arrived at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), and in this period, we

Bear Of The Month: Nakul!

Nakul and his brother Kuber were barely a few months old when they were rescued from Tumkur district, Karnataka in

Bear Of The Month: Amal!

The bears in the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) are lucky enough to have an oasis of leafy trees in

Bear Of The Month: Amitabh!

On catching a glimpse of Amitabh taking a quiet, blissful nap in his forested enclosure at the Agra Bear Rescue

Bear Of The Month: Arifa!

Six year old Arifa was a victim of the ‘dancing bear’ trade, an illegal practice that was once prevalent across

FAQ On Sanjay Elephant

Q. What’s Sanjay’s story? How did you come to know about him? Ans: A twist of fate brought the elephant

In Loving Memory of Julee

February signals the end of the painfully cold winter, with the gentle warmth of spring gradually ebbing its way through

The Elephants in Mandya

Mandya, Karnataka. 20th November 2015. The amusement park is deserted, its muddy grounds drenched in steady rainfall. But for the

Animals With Arthritis

Causing stiffness, swelling and sometimes unbearable pain in the affected joints, arthritis affects a sizeable number of people in the

Damru’s shenanigans

Damru was rescued by the anti-poaching team of Wildlife SOS from a small village in Uttar Pradesh when he was

Studying Sloth Bears

Most people find the sloth bear to be a bizarrely fascinating and ultimately charismatic bear. As intriguing as they are,

Adorable Chotu!

The anti-poaching team of Wildlife SOS rescued Chotu when he was a tiny, underweight 3 year old sloth bear from

Your Pet Can Help Elephants

September 8th thru September 14th Wildlife SOS is working with Whimsical Pet Portraits to raise money to help more elephants

Helping Raju: The Power of One

Right after Raju’s rescue happened, those of us at Wldlife SOS were extremely touched by the overwhelming support that came

Raju to Remain Free!

When Raju was rescued in July, 2014, his story caught fire and was covered by major news outlets around the

Helping Lilly

WE just got word that there is an elephant by the name of Lilly that needs our help . She

Tonk, Rajasthan

by Suvidha Bhatnagar “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.” – Helen Keller The Kalandars,

FAQ for RAJU

1.) I don’t understand, I thought Wildlife SOS had legal custody of Raju. How can Mr. Shahid make claims to

Remembering Bijli

It has been one year since Bijli passed. Although she was in our life for a short time, she will

Laxmi at risk

Laxmi is an elephant that was rescued by Wildlife SOS in July of 2013. She came to us morbidly obese

Meet Kanmani

By Prathamesh One among the most active bear in ABRF is Kanmani. She is not just very active, she is

Meet Rinesh

R Wildlife SOS is involved with the rescuing and rehabilitating many different species of animals. What is less known, is

Chanchal- the water baby

By Steffi Joseph Playful as ever, Chanchal has lived up to her name with her daily antics, winning hearts every

A little about ‘Badal’

‘Badal’ is a fascinating bear who is currently living at the Agra Bear Rescue Center. He appears to be good

Wildlife SOS and Adventure Camp

By Aaliya Mir Wildlife SOS created wildlife awareness programs during a recently held Adventure Camp for boys and girls of

Learning from Nature

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan The environment is the best teacher. She might not be the calmest but she has her way

Python Rescue In the Mist

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan It would be easy if we only had to rescue distressed animals, but quite often we have

Rozie and her sister!!

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan It was a very cold day at the gardens of Srinagar, in Kashmir; the gardeners were working

Monitor Lizard In a Soup

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan In a shocking incident on 6th December, the ugly face of illegal wildlife trade in Delhi surfaced

Barn Owls and Voodoo Rituals

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan Bird watchers are keen on Owls, but why would a washer man or ‘dhobi’ want barn owls???

Bear Cubs and Bicycles!

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan Dawn broke in a remote part of rural Karnataka; It was a cold morning. A vegetable vendor

Another Rani Amongst Us!!

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan Wildlife SOS had just one Rani (“queen†in Hindi,) for a very long time, she was the

Of Dreams and more

By Aishuwarya Sudarshan 3 years back Shakir’s family gave up the brutal practice of bear dancing and Shakhir applied to

World Wetland Day 2013

By Aaliya Mir World Wetland Day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February

How slow can you go?

By Aaliya Mir On September 29th, a cycle rally was held in coordination with the National Institute of Technology (NIT)

Meet Lenzolita (Lino)

By Steffi Joseph Lenzolita was rescued on the 21st of January 2011 from Bihar. Wildlife SOS and the Bihar police

A historical rescue

By Resham Beri In a historic rescue effort, the first ever of its kind in India, a mule stranded on

A New Life for Lakshmi

By Resham Beri In an eleven hour long rescue operation that lasted from 9 pm to 8 am, Lakshmi, an

Geeta Seshami

Geeta Seshamani, Co-Founder Geeta Seshamani, an English Literature Lecturer at the Delhi university, has been running Friendicoes SECA (Society for

Happy Days of Jambavant

By Sharon St. Joan During the monsoon, Jambavant can be found after a heavy downpour, walking along with the mud

Celebrating World Animal Day

By Roger Mann Today is World Animal Day, which celebrates the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, patron saint

Notorious Tiger Poacher Nabbed

In a daring operation involving several vehicles and a daylight chase and ambush through the streets of Delhi NCR Gurgoan

Meet Rajbir

Recently, the office of Wildlife SOS in Delhi received a tip from an anonymous caller that poachers were attempting to

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