Kaziranga (Assam) [India], August 20 : Two orphaned Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) cubs, rescued from Dissoi Reserve Forest in Jorhat on February 26, 2025, have been soft-released into Dehing Patkai National Park, marking an important milestone in Assam's wildlife conservation efforts, officials said in a release on Wednesday.
Dr Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, said the cubs -- then only four and six weeks old -- were discovered alone by a local youth and handed over to the Nakachari Beat Office under Jorhat Forest Division. With no trace of their mother, they were shifted to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Kaziranga for specialised care.

"At CWRC, the cubs were treated for mild dehydration and nurtured in the small mammal nursery under the close supervision of Dr Bhaskar Choudhury and his team. They were reared on a canine milk replacer and gradually introduced to conditions that would prepare them for survival in the wild," Dr Sonali Ghosh said.

She further said that the rehabilitation of orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs in CWRC followed the Asiatic black bear rehabilitation protocols of the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC), Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh.
"The rehabilitation process focused on ensuring proper nutrition, maintaining natural behaviours, and minimising human imprinting to secure their chances of successful reintegration.
In line with best practices, a scientific survey was undertaken to determine a suitable release site. While the Dissoi Reserve Forest was considered, its proximity to human settlements and high disturbance made it unsuitable for bear rehabilitation. A systematic evaluation based on natural cover, distance from habitation, prey availability, and local community awareness identified Dehing Patkai National Park as the most suitable release site. Offering rich vegetation, abundant natural resources, minimal human interference, and committed support from forest staff and local communities, the park emerged as the ideal new home for the cubs," Dr Ghosh said.

Dr Ghosh also said that formal permission to proceed with this site selection and release was granted on June 4, 2025, by the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam. Following this approval, the CWRC team successfully translocated the cubs to Dehing Patkai National Park, giving them a genuine chance to thrive in the wild.
"The journey of these Asiatic black bear cubs--from their rescue in Jorhat to their care at CWRC and finally to their release in Dehing Patkai--stands as a powerful example of what science-driven rehabilitation, ethical wildlife management, and community involvement can achieve. It reflects Assam's growing commitment to protecting its wildlife heritage and ensuring that even orphaned animals are given a second chance at freedom," Dr Ghosh said.