Roadside Bears

bijapuri · Mar 25th, 2004, 11:48

seemed like dozens of them betwixt Agra and Fatepur Sikri. They seemed so miserable. Then we saw a bear with her cub at Bandhavgarh, and they we're so happy! How do those touts get away with capturing them and what seems to be, abusing them for their own gain? Has anyone tried to do anything?

maree · Mar 25th, 2004, 12:07

Thanks for reminding me about this... I remember that trip between FS and Agra and the utter despair and disgust I felt at the sight of these bears chained through the nose and made to dance. I decided I was going to write a letter to someone about it - but this was right when I was at my sickest and making sure I could get to the toilet in time to throw up became a priority and I forgot all about it.

Does anyone know who in government I could write too? I don't imagine it would do any good but if enough people wrote...

At the time I remember thinking that the government should buy all the bears up or swap them for some other business asset so that the owners can still make a living. When you start thinking of things like this though you then start to think about the fact that there are thousands of people living in India who's lives are not much better, or may even be worse, than the lives of the dancing bears.... so what should be the government's priority? I'm sure they could divert some rupees away from the nuclear weapons programme!

Anyone have any practical solutions?

SHIMLA · Mar 25th, 2004, 13:51

Snakes in the clutches of snake charmers are in a situation similar to the bears'.

maree,

You may try writing to Mrs. Maneka Gandhi !

shere · Mar 25th, 2004, 14:31

Ms. Maneka Gandhi (Chairperson PFA )
PEOPLE FOR ANIMALS
14, Ashoka Nagar
New Delhi - 110 001
India

Email :gandhim(at)alpha.nic.in

use the @ sign instead of the (a). I have used that as some spam search engines scour the web for email addresses and they should not in theory pick up an email id with (at) in it.

Alan D · Mar 25th, 2004, 14:41

It also disturbs me to see wild animals treated in this way for the purpose of human entertainment but I can't take any moral high ground as in England wild foxes are hunted and killed for sport!

There is a charity organisation based in Agra which is doing something to save these sloth bears from this cruel treatment.

I guess though, this will only stop when people are no longer prepared to pay money for the spectacle.

The link above doesn't seem to be working so here's some info from the site

Care for the Wild International is to donate £30,000 to the first sanctuary to be built for dancing bears in India.
The sanctuary, situated in the popular tourist resort of Agra, was built by WSPA and is to be run by Indian NGO Wildlife S.O.S. Further funding is being provided by other NGOs including International Animal Rescue and Free The Bears. The money donated by CFTWI will go towards the cost of feeding the bears and providing them with vital veterinary treatment.

To read the full story click on "news" and then "old news" at the bottom of the page.

bijapuri · Mar 25th, 2004, 21:50

dam, glad someone's doing sumthin. And here's the catch-22. Those who are revolted by their display of course don't take photos, and thus word is even slower to get around. I wonder it there's a bear boss at the top of the scheme, or caste, or somethin. The key may be in outreach to the bear carers, methinks. I want to know more . . .

beachchik4ever · Mar 25th, 2004, 22:01

Oh I saw that too on the way to Fatepur Sikri !! How disgusting! We were stopped in the road and he approached the car, I covered my eyes with my hands and started yelling! I think those men should be led around with a hook in their nose.

Poor bears !!

bijapuri · Mar 25th, 2004, 22:04

see photo gallery

mdchachi · Apr 1st, 2004, 01:42

When were you there? We went to FS & back Feb 17 of this year and we saw no bears.

bijapuri · Apr 1st, 2004, 04:51

same month as you, Feb 4 , 2004

phacops · Apr 6th, 2004, 14:21

March 11 I saw more than a dozen.
Disgusting!

Jeroen · Apr 6th, 2004, 15:49

Sad, indeed. Two days ago I saw four of them, in 3 different places between FS and Agra. They stand in the road and force the bears to get up on their hind legs when they see a 'rich-looking' car coming along. Beautiful animals, by the way.

DianeN. · Apr 6th, 2004, 19:46

I saw the bears there last week--it broke my heart and disgusted me. My friend and daughter didn't see how different it was from using the camels or elephants for human entertainment (to ride on) or for work. But I strongly feel that it IS different--that bears are wild animals and when the day is done, the owner cannot sleep next to the bear without fear that the bear wouldn't kill him. However, I don't know that much about camels or elephants either....
I refused to look at them when they approached the car.

Mar 25th, 2004, 11:48	#1
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	Roadside Bears seemed like dozens of them betwixt Agra and Fatepur Sikri. They seemed so miserable. Then we saw a bear with her cub at Bandhavgarh, and they we're so happy! How do those touts get away with capturing them and what seems to be, abusing them for their own gain? Has anyone tried to do anything? __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Mar 25th, 2004, 13:51	#3
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,129	Snakes in the clutches of snake charmers are in a situation similar to the bears'. maree, You may try writing to Mrs. Maneka Gandhi ! __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Mar 25th, 2004, 14:41	#5
Alan D Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Southampton UK Posts: 1,869	It also disturbs me to see wild animals treated in this way for the purpose of human entertainment but I can't take any moral high ground as in England wild foxes are hunted and killed for sport! There is a charity organisation based in Agra which is doing something to save these sloth bears from this cruel treatment. I guess though, this will only stop when people are no longer prepared to pay money for the spectacle. The link above doesn't seem to be working so here's some info from the site Care for the Wild International is to donate £30,000 to the first sanctuary to be built for dancing bears in India. The sanctuary, situated in the popular tourist resort of Agra, was built by WSPA and is to be run by Indian NGO Wildlife S.O.S. Further funding is being provided by other NGOs including International Animal Rescue and Free The Bears. The money donated by CFTWI will go towards the cost of feeding the bears and providing them with vital veterinary treatment. To read the full story click on "news" and then "old news" at the bottom of the page. Last edited by Alan D : Mar 25th, 2004 at 17:03.

Apr 6th, 2004, 15:49	#12
Jeroen A government of India undertaking Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Prague, Czech Republic Posts: 296	Sad, indeed. Two days ago I saw four of them, in 3 different places between FS and Agra. They stand in the road and force the bears to get up on their hind legs when they see a 'rich-looking' car coming along. Beautiful animals, by the way. __________________ 'To see the world in a grain of sand; and heaven in a wild flower; to hold infinity in the palm of your hand; and eternity in an hour'

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Mar 25th, 2004, 12:07	#2
maree Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: New Zealander in Bangkok Posts: 850	Thanks for reminding me about this... I remember that trip between FS and Agra and the utter despair and disgust I felt at the sight of these bears chained through the nose and made to dance. I decided I was going to write a letter to someone about it - but this was right when I was at my sickest and making sure I could get to the toilet in time to throw up became a priority and I forgot all about it. Does anyone know who in government I could write too? I don't imagine it would do any good but if enough people wrote... At the time I remember thinking that the government should buy all the bears up or swap them for some other business asset so that the owners can still make a living. When you start thinking of things like this though you then start to think about the fact that there are thousands of people living in India who's lives are not much better, or may even be worse, than the lives of the dancing bears.... so what should be the government's priority? I'm sure they could divert some rupees away from the nuclear weapons programme! Anyone have any practical solutions?

Mar 25th, 2004, 14:31	#4
shere Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England Posts: 1,105	Ms. Maneka Gandhi (Chairperson PFA ) PEOPLE FOR ANIMALS 14, Ashoka Nagar New Delhi - 110 001 India Email :gandhim(at)alpha.nic.in use the @ sign instead of the (a). I have used that as some spam search engines scour the web for email addresses and they should not in theory pick up an email id with (at) in it.

Mar 25th, 2004, 21:50	#6
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	dam, glad someone's doing sumthin. And here's the catch-22. Those who are revolted by their display of course don't take photos, and thus word is even slower to get around. I wonder it there's a bear boss at the top of the scheme, or caste, or somethin. The key may be in outreach to the bear carers, methinks. I want to know more . . .

Mar 25th, 2004, 22:01	#7
beachchik4ever Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: east coast Posts: 93	Oh I saw that too on the way to Fatepur Sikri !! How disgusting! We were stopped in the road and he approached the car, I covered my eyes with my hands and started yelling! I think those men should be led around with a hook in their nose. Poor bears !!

Mar 25th, 2004, 22:04	#8
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	see photo gallery

Apr 1st, 2004, 01:42	#9
mdchachi newbie-wallah Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: MI - USA Posts: 150	When were you there? We went to FS & back Feb 17 of this year and we saw no bears.

Apr 1st, 2004, 04:51	#10
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	same month as you, Feb 4 , 2004

Apr 6th, 2004, 14:21	#11
phacops Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 68	March 11 I saw more than a dozen. Disgusting!

Apr 6th, 2004, 19:46	#13
DianeN. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Japan Posts: 255	I saw the bears there last week--it broke my heart and disgusted me. My friend and daughter didn't see how different it was from using the camels or elephants for human entertainment (to ride on) or for work. But I strongly feel that it IS different--that bears are wild animals and when the day is done, the owner cannot sleep next to the bear without fear that the bear wouldn't kill him. However, I don't know that much about camels or elephants either.... I refused to look at them when they approached the car.

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