The Dancing Bears of India

   

 

  
 

 By: Geeta Seshamani & Kartick Satyanarayan - 1997

  
  Preface  
  Objectives of the study  
  Methods and Material  
  1. Introduction - North India  
  (States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.)  
  1.1 Geography  
  1.2 Climate  
  1.3 Population  
     
  2. Introduction - South India (State of Karnataka.)  
  2.1 Geography  
  2.2 Climate  
  2.3 Population  
     
  3. Bear Species found in India  
  3.1 The Brown Bear  
  3.2 The Himalayan Black Bear  
  3.3 The Sloth Bear  
     
  4. Community: Kalandar  
  4.1 Socio-Economic status  
  4.2 Origin and sub-divisions  
  4.3 Alternative employment avenues  
  4.4 Community life  
  4.5 Village structure and habitat  
  4.6 Role of the Dancing Bear in the Kalandar economy.  
     
5
 . Bear Dancing: Historical background  
5.1
 The myth of the bear and its powers.  
5.2
 The attitude / reactions of  
  a)Rural audience  
  b)City audience  
  c)Tourists to the Dancing bear performances.  
     
  6. Rearing and Maintenance of the Bear cub  
  6.1 Ownership  
  6.2 Maintenance and feeding.  
  6.3 Nose Piercing  
  6.4 Removal of teeth.  
  6.5 Trimming of Claws.  
  6.6 Diseases and Treatment.  
  6.7 Mortality rates  
     
  7. Training of the Bear cub  
  7.1 Training methods  
  7.2 Injuries and Death.  
  8. The Dancing Bear on the road  
  8.1 Physical Hazards during road performances to bear and owner  
  8.2 Routes taken  
     
  9. Licensing and the law  
  9.1 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, (with amendments)  
  9.2 State Laws: Municipality / forest officer / police.  
  9.3 Confrontation between Bear owner and the law.  
     
  10. Bear Cub Capture  
  10.1 Methods  
  10.2 Sources / Locations  
  10.3 Transportation/ Estimated number of cubs  
  10.4 Reselling and trading  
  10.5 The Bear Markets.  
  10.2 Local Attitudes towards Bear cub poaching  
  10.7 Impact of Poaching on the wild Sloth Bear population  
  10.8 Reasons for Easy poaching  
     
  Conclusion  
  Recommendations  
     
  NOTE: All information regarding the location of Bear villages and Markets, as well as the names of Bear Owners, Traders, and Poachers have been withheld to safeguard the investigators.  
     

©WILDLIFE SOS - INDIA