Ranthambore National Park is a recognized name in wildlife conservation in India. It is one of India’s most renowned tiger sighting areas, located in Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. One of the interesting facts is that tourists are less aware of the fact that it is one of the best places to sight sloth bears. And, if you are lucky enough, you’ll get to sight a fight between sloth bears and tigers and undoubtedly it is one of the thrilling experiences one might have on a jungle safari trip to Ranthambore National Park.
The Sloth Bear is the most widespread species of bear in India among the four species found in several parts of India like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Northeast India. One of the most exciting parts of the wildlife trip is the Sloth Bear sighting.
Facts you need to know about Sloth Bears
- Sloth bears inhabit moist and dry forests with grasslands, shrubs, and trees for shelter, unlike other species of bears.
- Sloth Bears usually sleep in caves.
- They do not live in cold places hence; they do not hibernate.
- They are myrmecophagous and usually eat ants and termites but, a few of them are dependent on fruits and seeds also. Food habits are the unique characteristics of sloth bears.
- As sloth bears have to live with tigers, their aggressive behavior helps them keep safe from the tigers. Sighting sloth bears in Ranthambore is an interesting part of jungle safari, but experiencing another level of excitement is when tourists get to witness the conflict between the wild cat and sloth bears.
- Mother bears carry their cubs on their back for nine months, it is one of the phenomenal facts about sloth bears.
- Long claws help them fight predators and dig into termites.
- They are active during dawn, night and dusk.
Best Places to spot Sloth Bears
Other than Ranthambore National Park, one can sight Sloth Bears in the national parks of Southern India along with the dry forested areas of Central India and the Western Ghats. Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Karnataka where one can experience the best sightings. Sloth Bears can also be seen where animals co-exist with the wild cat, visitors must visit national parks like Kanha, Pench, Tadoba, Bandhavgarh, and Ranthambore where the population of Sloth Bears is growing in numbers with other wildlife in Ranthambore.
