Sloth bear rescued after becoming trapped in Andhra palm plantation fence

A sloth bear that became ensnared in a fence surrounding an oil palm plantation in Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada district has been safely rescued and transported to the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam. The adult male bear was extracted from the enclosure by wildlife teams and relocated to the facility for a mandatory health assessment.

According to wildlife expert D. Mahesh Babu, the bear will remain under observation at the zoo for approximately two days. During this period, veterinarians will evaluate its physical condition and ensure it has sustained no serious injuries from its time trapped in the fence.

Following the observation period, officials plan to release the animal back into the wild in its natural habitat. The rescue operation highlights ongoing concerns about human-wildlife conflict in agricultural areas of Andhra Pradesh, where expanding plantations increasingly encroach on territories traditionally inhabited by forest species including sloth bears.

The incident comes as wildlife authorities across the region work to balance economic development with the preservation of habitats for endangered species. Sloth bears, found across forested regions of South Asia, are known to venture into cultivated areas in search of food, particularly insects and honey.