25th December, 2007 Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Christmas Eve 2007 marked a major milestone in the campaign to bring an end to the cruel practice of Dancing Bears in India with the most successful bear rescue centre in the world marking its 5 th Anniversary on this day.

The Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), a landmark collaborative project between Wildlife S.O.S and Uttar Pradesh Forest Department India gave shelter to the first rescued Dancing Bear on Christmas eve 2002. This was the beginning of bringing the ancient barbaric practice of Dancing Bears in India to an end.  

Located a few kms away from the famous Taj Mahal, this center, now home to over 250 Sloth Bears, rescued from this cruel illegal trade has today become the single largest such facilty in the world for rescued Dancing Sloth Bears.

The rescue center was conceptualised by Wildlife S.O.S (WSOS), after a two year investigative survey into the issue of Dancing Bears in India but the rescue centre became a reality with the cooperation of the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department.The center is run with support from its international partners i.e - International Animal Rescue (IAR), Free the Bears Fund Australia, One Voice Association France and HSI Australia and the unstinted generosity of many individual donors. Wildlife S.O.S have rescued over 460 bears till date.

From humble beginnings five years ago the Agra Bear Rescue Facility has grown into a centre of excellence for the rescue and rehabilitation of dancing bears which now boasts of a state-of-the-art Wildlife Veterinary Clinic complete with a dental suite, operation theatres, radiology unit and an in house laboratory. Special environmental enrichment is provided to each and every bear based on its special needs to stimulate and amuse the bear's natural senses.

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-Founder of Wildlife S.O.S, said: "The challenge of rescuing all the bears off the street seemed an impossible task a decade ago. Most people were sceptical if a small NGO like Wildlife S.O.S could achieve this. Thanks to the support from the Indian Government and the kindness of our international partners we have already reached the half way mark. The holistic approach we have taken in providing alternative livelihoods to the Kalandar community ensures that the change in the Kalandar community is both permanent and sustainable."

Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder, Wildlife S.O.S concludes, "As we celebrate the success of the Agra Bear Rescue Facility and of the campaign to rescue India's dancing Bears in general, we won't forget the bears still on the streets in need of our help. We are lucky to have been given a 145-acre extension to the Agra Bear Rescue Facility by the Government recently. This gesture on part of the government vindicates their faith in the abilities of Wildlife S.O.S and the way we have gone about rescuing the bears and rehabilitating the Kalandar owners turning them towards humane alternative livelihoods."

*To help Wildlife S.O.S in bringing the Dancing Bear trade to an end, please click here.