Global InformationJessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary information
| Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
 Indian common sloth bear (Melursus ursinus ursinus) | |
  Location in Gujarat, India | |
| Location | Banaskantha district, Gujarat,  India |
| Nearest city | Palanpur |
| Coordinates | 24°12′N 72°18′E / 24.2°N 72.3°E |
| Area | 180.66 km2 (69.75 sq mi) |
| Established | May 1978 |
| Governing body | Government of India, Government of Gujarat |
Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary is situated in the Banaskantha district formerly under Palanpur State in the Indian state of Gujarat at the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. It was declared as a sanctuary in May 1978, covering an area of about 180 square kilometres (69 sq mi), principally for protection of the sloth bear, which is now categorized as "Vulnerable A2cd+4cd;C1 ver 3.1" on the IUCN Red List. Their numbers are declining in the wild and they are threatened with extinction.[1][2][3][4]
The name "sloth" is said to be the epithet travellers and hunters in India gave to the bear when they saw it hanging upside down from branches of trees and consequently they identified it with sloth, an animal that hangs upside down. While it is now known as sloth bear, initially it was called "bear sloth" since the game hunters identified this species with the sloth of South America as the physical characteristics and arboreal habits of both species matched. Towards the later part of the 18th century, its scientific name was Ursine bradypus, Ursiform sloth or Bradypus ursinus. But when in the early 19th century, a sloth bear, housed in a zoo in France, was examined, scientists identified it correctly as a bear species and thereafter the name was changed from "bear sloth" to "sloth bear".[2][4][5] Jessore hill, which is the back drop to the sanctuary, is also prefixed to form the full name "Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary".[2][4]
Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India, Forest Department of Gujarat, well known Institutes and Universities of the country, stakeholders and local communities in and around the project area have been engaged in Conservation and Sustainable Management of Dryland Biodiversity of North Gujarat under a GEF/UNDP supported project with the objective of conservation of globally significant biodiversity. The two projects identified under the programme, as demonstration project sites were the Jessore and Balaram-Ambaji Sanctuaries. The information gathered under this project in respect of the Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary has enhanced the information base and is expected to help in building local establishments to adopt novel ideas to resolve the threats faced by the sanctuary.[6]
- ^ Negi, Sharad Singh (1991). Handbook of national parks, sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves in India. Indus Pub. Co. p. 86. ISBN 81-85182-59-0. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ^ a b c Haywood, Karen Diane (2008). Bears Endangered! Series. Marshall Cavendish. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7614-2987-6.
- ^ Dharaiya, N.; Bargali, H.S.; Sharp, T. (2020). "Melursus ursinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T13143A166519315. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T13143A166519315.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Wildlife of Gujarat". gujaratplus.com. 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
- ^ "The Sloth Bear" (PDF). Bear Specialist Group. pp. 1–23. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ "Honey Bee Volume 11 (2) April–June 2000" (PDF). Dry Land Biodiversity: Conservation of Dryland Bio Diversity –An indigenous knowledge based study. Government t of Maharashtra. pp. 14–16. Retrieved 2010-02-15.