Editor's Den

Raghul Patteri

Editor

The natural world is full of species that don’t get to be in the limelight because of their more popular cousins. The Sloth bear is one such species. Though their bigger cousins further in the north hog a lot of limelight, Sloth bears of India are often lesser known and less photographed. A species that once had a range all across India and pouring into Nepal and Myanmar, is now restricted to around 5000 in protected areas and may be thrice that number in total. Now, classified as IUCN vulnerable, they are highly in danger of slipping to Endangered.

In this edition of PT Aware, Dr. Peter Hudson takes us through the conservation issues facing the Sloth bear. Habitat fragmentation is a major cause of concern for the Sloth bear. Persecution and poaching are also negatives for the bear population.

At PT Aware, we strive to bring attention to the plight of the lesser-known animals as well. These beings deserve the same protection and conservation afforded to other charismatic species. We are proud to have our global community of photographers, scientists and researchers who help us in bringing these stories to you. Our thanks to all the wonderful photographers who contributed the images for this edition.

Our next edition will focus on the Southern ground hornbill, please be ready with your best photographs.

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