Saving the Dancing Bears
Mammals WCFF2023
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01-Dec-2023
For over 400 years, in India, the rare Sloth Bear was targeted for human exploitation…first for the emperors, then as roadside entertainment for villagers and tourists who paid to watch the bears jump, conditioned after years of abuse by trainers.
Given the ongoing legacy of cruelty, two individuals decided to stop this practice, rescue the bears still in captivity and create a sanctuary where they can heal and live in safety for the rest of their lives. This is the story of the founders of WILDLIFE SOS-Kartik Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani. Early on, they realized they had to help the people whose livelihood had depended for so long on the Dancing Bear trade--finding jobs for the men, empowering the women and providing education for the sometimes exploited children. Saving the Dancing Bears is more than a wildlife rescue film: in the process of saving the bears, they also saved a human community.
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