Gujarat to restore habitat for sloth bears in Jessore Wildlife Sanctuary

Unwanted vegetation will be removed and fruit trees will be planted at the Jessore Wildlife Sanctuary to improve the habitat for sloth bears. 

Gujarat government is all set to improve the habitat of sloth bears. The new project will focus on restoring the ecology of Jessore Wildlife Sanctuary by planting more trees and removing unwanted plant species that have intruded into the habitat.

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The sloth bears mostly survive on honey and termites, which can be obtained after new plantation. This requires a good food habitat and hence there is a crucial need to restore the ecology of the sanctuary. As per the 2011 census, nearly 293 sloth bears were found in the state forests.

Unwanted vegetation like Lantenaspp and Prospisjuli-flora has encroached in large quantities in the sanctuary. The authorities plan to remove these and plant more fruit trees in their place.

The project is undertaken by the forest department in coordination with the Gujarat Ecology Commission (GEC), after the successful implementation of a similar project in Banaskantha district.

Photo: Hossmann/wikimedia commons

The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs. 40 lakhs and will be handed over to the forest department after the success of the pilot.

Along with Jessore, sloth bears are also found at Shoolpaneswar, Jambughoda, Ratanmahal and Balaram-Ambaji wildlife sanctuaries in the Narmada, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur and Banaskantha districts of Gujarat respectively.

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