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Back from the brink
SWARNA V.
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S. RAMAKRISHNAN
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The Daroji Bear Sanctuary, home to the sloth bear, proves that even small wildlife habitats can bounce back if given due care and attention.
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Photo: S. Ramakrishnan
Unusual and charming: A sloth bear comes for its quota of jaggery at the park.
The stocky black creature came close… too close for comfort. It sniffed the wheel of our car, snorted a few times, and even tried to get atop the camouflaged car. We watched the action with bated breath from inside the car. Many, not so pleasan
t, thoughts raced through our minds — what if it jumped on the windshield… what if it topples the car? After minutes of curious inspection it disappeared over a rocky crag. We let out a collective sigh of relief!
We were in the heart of Daroji Bear Sanctuary and the stocky black creature was the sloth bear that this forest reserve preciously protects. Our objective of the visit was to get up, close and personal to these fascinating, unusual yet charming creatures that thrive in Daroji. Close, we really did get! Outside of a zoo, this is the best place in India to observe these fascinating animals.
Well-kept secret
Daroji is a well-kept secret and receives very few visitors though just a stone’s throw away from the world-renowned heritage site of Hampi. Located in the rocky mining district of Bellary near Hospet, Daroji comes as a huge relief from the ravages of man-made destruction. It is a known fact that the terrain stretching from Daroji of Sandur taluk and Ramasagar of Hospet in Bellary district had been an abode of sloth bears for aeons. Rampant mining, habitat destruction, over-grazing and mindless poaching had brought down the number of bears drastically. Conflicts between bears and humans also started to rise, thanks to the shrinkage of habitat for wildlife. However, the relentless efforts of various passionate wildlife conservationists and the forest department helped bring the animals back from the brink. Sensing an urgent need to carve a safe haven for the bears, the government formed the protected area in 1994. Further, the forest department tackled the issue of ritual hunting which is prevalent in the area. Today, Daroji, with an area of about 55 sq km, boasts of over 130 bears.
The rock-strewn hillocks and the beautifully calm Tungabhadra River make a wonderful backdrop to the park. The hillocks have been formed by huge boulders, as if carefully placed one on top of the other. The bears live and spend most of the day in caves in these boulders. They rely heavily on wild local fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, termites and honey for their food. Abundant availability of food in Daroji keeps them confined to the sanctuary. Skilled climbers, sloth bears are shy animals avoiding confrontation with humans, their primary enemy. When confronted, typically by accident, they get aggressive and are known to be powerful attackers, more to protect themselves than to hurt the opponent.
A treat for the bears
To aid better sighting of the bears and also to supplement their diet, the forest department staff smear a sticky jaggery and rice mix on some of the rocky outcrops — something of a bear dessert treat! The bears are drawn to the mix like bees to flowers. They come in large numbers, 12-15 sometimes, to get a lick of the jaggery.
In the afternoon, the bears parade in, loud grunts and heavy breathing announces their entry. But before their arrival, out come the birds — peacocks in plenty, parakeets, bulbuls, francolins and the photographer’s delight, the painted spurfowl — all for the sweet paste. Squirrels, wild boars and mongooses too criss-cross the rocks to get their share of the treat. Then enter the large black bears, en masse — uncles, aunts, moms and dads with cubs toeing the line. It is an absolute delight to watch the entire drama unfold in front of you in nature’s amphitheatre!
Though at the first glimpse Daroji comes across as a stark habitat, exploring the area will reveal a very different picture. The forest department’s protection efforts and management interventions have paid rich dividends here, with the entire landscape becoming verdant and sheltering various local flora and fauna including birds. Various water sources attract a plethora of wildlife and is great particularly for birding.
Challenges ahead
According to Mr. Vijay Mohan Raj, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Sirsi Division), under whose jurisdiction the sanctuary falls, “Daroji Bear Sanctuary is a fine example in the country where even small fragments of wildlife habitats can bounce back if necessary protection is provided; the challenge for everyone is in sustaining it and so far the department has risen to the challenge”.
The regular spotting of lesser mammals, such as jackals, jungle cats, porcupines, pangolins, shows that protection has helped increase their numbers, thereby strengthening the entire ecosystem. A recent visit to the sanctuary by a birdwatchers’ group threw up sightings of rare birds such as Alpine swift, yellow-throated bulbul and white wagtail in the area.
Quick facts
Getting there: By road, Bangalore-Chitradurga-Hospet-Daroji (360 km); nearest railhead is Hospet (25km).
Best time to visit: August to April; the chances of sighting the bears are best between 6 and 7a.m. and again between 3 and 6 p.m.
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