(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The last dancing bears in Nepal have been rescued from their owners in a dramatic night-time raid.
According to sources, police tracked the owners' mobile phones and found two sloth bears in a distressed state in Iharbari,
southeastern Nepal.
They showed signs of psychological trauma such as cowering, pacing and paw sucking.
The bears - 19-year-old male Rangila and 17-year-old female Sridevi - had been taken from their mothers at an early age and forced to perform.
The owners had removed their teeth, pierced their noses with a burning hot rod and shoved a rope through it to
control them.
The bears were then taken to Amlekhgunj Forest and Wildlife Reserve for treatment.
Police were helped by the Jane Goodall Institute Nepal and the London-based nonprofit World Animal Protection which proudly declared: ‘We just saved Nepal's last two dancing bears.'
Manoj Gautam, of the Jane Goodall Institute of Nepal, said: 'We are thrilled that the last two dancing bears have been rescued from their
lifetime of suffering.
'After a year of tracking them, using our own intelligence and in co-operation with local police, our hard effort and dedication has helped to bring an end to this illegal tradition.
Neil D'Cruze, Wildlife Technical Expert for World Animal Protection, said: 'It's extremely distressing to see animals being stolen from the wild and the sad reality is there are more wild animals suffering across the world, purely for the entertainment of tourists.
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