Tragic Demise of Vulnerable Sloth Bears on Maharashtra Railway Tracks

A female sloth bear and her cub were found dead on railway tracks in Gondia district, Maharashtra. Discovered by a railway staffer on the Gondia-Balharshah route, the bears are believed to have died in an accident. The sloth bear is listed as 'vulnerable' under the IUCN Red List.

A female sloth bear and her sub-adult cub were tragically found dead on railway tracks in Maharashtra's Gondia district, according to the state forest department.

The unfortunate discovery was made by a railway staffer on the tracks of the Gondia-Balharshah route near a small tunnel within the Arjuni Morgaon forest range on Thursday.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the animals were killed in an accidental collision, stated forest department officer Sadashiv Awghan.

Following standard protocols, the carcasses were disposed of according to guidelines from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

It's worth noting that the sloth bear is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is classified as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

(With inputs from agencies.)