Wildlife authorities seize two black bear cubs in Diamer

Villager from Tangir Valley spotted them hiding in cave

GILGIT: The wildlife department of Gilgit-Baltistan has seized two black bear cubs that were initially captured by a villager in Tangir Valley, Diamer.

“The cubs, each one-month-old, were hiding inside a cave when spotted by the villager,” Divisional Forest Officer Raja Arif told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.

According to Arif, the villager waited for their mother to come out of the cave.

“When she did not turn up, the villager shifted the cubs to his house,” Arif said. “He fed them as they were hungry.”

As the news spread like wildfire, people from nearby villages visited his house to catch a glimpse of the cubs.

Wildlife Conservator Ghulam Muhammad, who had assigned Arif the task of providing treatment to the cubs, told The Express Tribune, “There was a minor wound on the foot of one of the cubs. Their treatment is under way.”

He added the cubs would be shifted to a rehabilitation centre after treatment.

“They will be provided food and looked after at the centre for as long as possible,” Muhammad said. “They would be released in the wildlife afterwards.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2016.