Thunderhead
OBSERVINGTYO·JST--:--:--
/RECORD NO.102
記録 / REC102
BREAKINGDumka district, Jharkhand, India

June 2026 — In Jharkhand, India, analysis of social media posts identified the handlers of a 'dancing bear,' and a sloth bear was rescued.

A conservation group used open-source intelligence to locate the video.
Logged 2026-06-30 07:00:00 (JST)
インドのジャールカンド州で、SNS投稿の解析によって「踊り熊」の飼育者が特定され、ナマケグマが救出された。

A team at the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) found social media posts appearing to show a dancing bear, used open-source intelligence (OSINT) to verify the footage, and pinpointed the handlers in Dumka district, Jharkhand. The information was shared with the state forest department, and the Divisional Forest Officer of Dumka sent a field team that rescued one sloth bear.

Jharkhand is in eastern India and Dumka is a district in its north. The dancing bear was a roadside performance historically associated with the Kalandar community. The sloth bear receives the highest level of protection under India's wildlife law, making its capture, possession and use for performance a serious offence.

The rescued bear is in the care of the Dumka Forest Division and will undergo veterinary assessment and rehabilitation before its future is decided. The forest officer said using wild animals for exhibition or performance is strictly prohibited and punishable under the law.

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