GUDIKOTE (VIJAYANAGARA): A scientific study by the Forest department and Wildlife SOS recently found that a sloth bear from Gudikote in Vijayanagara district has travelled an unimaginable distance of nearly 200 km to reach Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh. This was revealed during the study using the latest scientific tools like radio collaring to know the home range of the sloth bears.
The first of its kind scientific study--- a study of the home range of sloth bears-- by the Forest department and Wildlife SOS has revealed several interesting findings where a bear radio-collared at Gudikote sloth bear sanctuary in Karnataka has now established itself in Penukonda.
“We had radio-collared 10 sloth bears. We were studying them at Gudikote. This study aimed at knowing their home range and the bear ecology, which includes its food consumption, movement, breeding, behaviour, feeding habits and other aspects, where we found that one bear had moved out. We were able to track it regularly, until we found that it had reached Penukonda,” Swaminathan, wildlife biologist, Wildlife SOS, said.
The bear was also identified through cameras trapped in both the places and this has excited scientists and Forest officials as the movement has been the first-time record.
The bear was first recorded at Karadihalli in Gudikote Bear Sanctuary after it was radio-collared and it was again recorded at Ganganpalli in Penukonda near Anantapur. The bear was a subadult--a female and it has travelled a distance of 200 km in 20 days.
“This study aimed to know where the bears go. Its journey started from Kakkappi near Jarimale in Kudligi taluk. It had just followed a male bear, which was outside the sanctuary,” Arsalan, DCF, Vijayanagara district told TNSE. He said the male bear was from outside the sanctuary and was not collared or recorded. He said the bear used all the minor forests and scrub areas and revenue patches en route to stay and travelled unnoticed to reach its destination.