Bhubaneswar: A baby sloth bear rescued from Badadeula in Koraput on October 26 arrived at the Nandankanan Zoological Park on Sunday.

The nine-month-old male sloth bear got detached from its mother and has been kept in quarantine at the zoo.

The zoo's deputy director Jayant Dash said the bear had been brought for better treatment and rearing. "It has been kept in quarantine till it acclimatises with the zoo environment. Our vets have been asked to keep a round-the-clock vigil on the health condition of the rescued animal," said Dash. With the arrival of the new guest, the population of these herbivorous animals in the zoo has gone up to 15, including 10 males.

The baby bear was rescued by forest officials in Koraput and underwent rehabilitation and treatment there. However, the absence of a rescue centre in the district forced the authorities to shift it to Nandankanan in a mini truck.

On August 31, the zoo lost Milli, a 16-year-old female sloth bear, to tuberculosis. Last year, the zoo sent over two sloth bears to the Lucknow zoo under the animal exchange programme.

Forest officials said forest cover in Odisha were an ideal habitat for sloth bears, which are accorded endangered status and enlisted as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of habitat loss and poaching. The animals are also protected under Schedule-1 species of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

In 2012, Nandankanan had set up a bear safari in the zoo over 4.1 hectares for Rs 2 crore. Zoo officials said they planned to keep around 20 bears in the safari in coming days to attract tourists.