Dancing Bears in India

[Guest guest]

Dear Everyone,

I am writing about the dancing bears in India, the International

Animal Rescue's sanctuary for rescued bears and my effort to help by

donating ten percent of the royalties from my novel 'Beyond the

Dragon Sea' (by Melissa Lumley) to the bear sanctuary in Agra,

India. You can find out about the dreadful plight of the poor sloth

bears at www.iar.org.uk and my fundraising effort book at

www.lulu.com (search for either Melissa Lumley or 'Beyond the Dragon

Sea') and at www.freewebs.com/melissalumley/

Dancing bears have been on the streets of India for many, many years.

As tourism has grown, the pitiful sight of these wonderful sloth

bears being made to dance to raise money has been seen right across

the country. In 1972, the dancing bears were finally outlawed by

Parliament in India. Although it is now illegal, it still carries on

however, and the law is not being enforced. IAR has called on people

to write to the Indian government urging them to do more to prevent

this cruelty. The mothers are shot and the baby cubs taken. Their

teeth and claws are removed and they have a hole burnt in their nose

for a ring and rope. They are regularly beaten.

 

Now a sanctuary has been established just a few kilometres north of

the famous Taj Mahal in Agra India for rescued bears. Working with

Wildlife S.O.S, IAR managed to help rescue the first batch of bears

just a few days before Christmas 2002. They currently have over 100

bears in the sanctuary and plans are underway to obtain more land and

expand the facility so that it can comfortably accommodate the

growing number of rescued bears. The bears are kept in a large

acclimatisation pen to start with which allows them to get used to

their new surroundings. All the bears in the IAR's care have been

severely beaten throughout their lives. IAR workers have witnessed

these beatings first hand and filmed them in May 2003! All the bears

have had their incisor and canine teeth removed and their claws

either removed or cut right back to the quick. They also have a hole

burnt into the top of their nose and a rope passed through this hole

and out through the nostril. This allows the keeper to hurt the bear

on demand and force them to dance. It takes time for the bears to

adjust to their new surroundings and start to trust their new keepers.

The Agra Bear Rescue Facility is under the overall supervision of the

Uttar Pradesh Forest Department who have provided land for the

facility inside the Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Agra. The Rescue

Facility is run and managed by Wildlife S.O.S ® India. IAR is

providing additional funding to buy more land to expand the Agra Bear

Rescue Facility. Final paperwork is nearly completed and the way will

then be clear to enclose the new land and make it ready for the

scores of bears that they will then rescue from the streets. £25

provides initial veterinary care and medication for a rescued bear.

All the bears need antibiotics and anaesthetics during rope removal

and initial quarantine care.

£100 helps a bear enjoy its freedom by planting trees to maintain

the natural forest environment.

 

My fantasy novel 'Beyond the Dragon Sea' by Melissa Lumley is set in

a mythical world dominated by a corrupt religious cult and tells the

story of a slave's struggle from boyhood to manhood against a

backdrop of prejudice, murder, black magic, usurpation, heroism,

ultimate sacrifice and forbidden love. For every copy of the book

sold, 60p is donated to the bear sanctuary. So if 1000 people buy

the book, that helps secure the freedom of six bears.

 

If you could possibly help with publicity please get in touch. Thank

you.

 

 

Thank you for your time,

Melissa.