Sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) have been captured on trap cameras in the forests of Purulia for the first time, forest officials said.

Although anecdotal reports of their presence have circulated for years, officials said this is likely the first photographic evidence confirming the species’ presence in south Bengal.

The trap cameras, installed nearly two years ago by the state forest department, were set up to monitor the growing diversity of wildlife in Purulia, a district increasingly recognised as a biodiversity hotspot.

An NGO working on a pangolin project had also placed its own set of cameras in the region. Both the government and NGO cameras have recorded images of sloth bears in the past two months.

“The images were captured in September. A detailed analysis and other indirect signs suggest the presence of at least four adult sloth bears,” said Anjan Guha, the divisional forest officer of Purulia.

According to forest department sources, the bears appear to inhabit the Kotshila and Jhalda forest ranges, with additional footprints traced in the Ayodhya Hills, suggesting that they move across a large territory.

“The presence of bears indicates a healthy ground flora and thriving ecosystem. It reflects multi-species
diversity. Other predators usually do not disturb sloth bears as they can be very dangerous if provoked. When a bear leaves one den, smaller animals such as pangolins and porcupines often use the abandoned dens as safe shelters,” Guha explained.

Over the past few years, rusty-spotted cats, honey badgers, pangolins, striped hyenas, and Indian wolves were some of the species captured on cameras in Purulia.

In February this year, a rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) — one of the world’s smallest cats — was photographed in the Simni forest of Kotshila range, marking the first confirmed record of the species in Bengal, wildlife experts and foresters said.

Earlier, in September 2024, cameras also captured honey badgers (Mellivora capensis) in the same area, another first for the state. Known for their fearless nature, honey badgers have a reputation for challenging much larger animals.

Over the last five years, both striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) and Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) have also appeared in camera footage from Purulia.

“We are preparing a proposal for a sloth bear conservation project, which will require approval from higher authorities,” Guha said.