The leading wildlife welfare organization and WCB Research Foundation will unite experts Oct. 12 to share scientific insights and strengthen collaboration to protect sloth bears

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wildlife SOS, a global wildlife conservation and welfare organization dedicated to providing specialized veterinary care and reducing human-wildlife conflict, hopes to bring greater attention to the challenges facing India's sloth bears and the urgent need to protect the species through its 2026 National Sloth Bear Symposium on Oct. 12 at the Hummingbird Resort in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India.

Wildlife SOS has partnered with the Wildlife and Conservation Biology (WCB) Research Foundation to bring together researchers, students, wildlife professionals, forest officials, nongovernmental organizations and wildlife enthusiasts to exchange scientific knowledge, discuss conservation challenges and explore collaborative solutions to protect India's sloth bears.

The one-day event takes place on World Sloth Bear Day and will feature scientific presentations, expert talks, conservation success stories and panel discussions designed to encourage meaningful dialogue among those working to protect the species.

"Sloth bears face serious threats from habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict, and protecting them requires a coordinated approach," said Nikki Sharp, executive director of Wildlife SOS USA. "By bringing researchers and conservation professionals together, we can strengthen our understanding of these challenges and develop strategies that help secure the species' future."

Building on Decades of Sloth Bear Conservation

Sloth bears play an important role in India's ecosystems but face growing threats from habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.

In 2022, Wildlife SOS in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared Oct. 12 as World Sloth Bear Day to raise global awareness of the threats facing sloth bears and the importance of protecting the species and its natural habitat.

For more than three decades, Wildlife SOS has protected sloth bears through rescue, rehabilitation, veterinary care and conservation. The organization helped end India's centuries-old dancing bear practice, rescuing hundreds of bears and supporting alternative livelihoods for communities that depended on the trade.

While that achievement marked a major victory, protecting sloth bears in the wild remains a critical challenge. The symposium will bring experts together to examine these threats and identify ways to strengthen conservation efforts.

"Ending the dancing bear practice transformed the lives of hundreds of bears, but our work is far from over," Sharp said. "Protecting sloth bears in the wild requires stronger habitat conservation, better understanding of their behavior and solutions that reduce conflict with people. This symposium can help move those efforts forward."

Turning Research Into Conservation Action

But Sharp said that protecting sloth bears in the wild extends beyond any single conservation effort. Wildlife experts must also understand how habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict affect these animals and find ways to reduce those threats.

By connecting scientific research with hands-on conservation work, Wildlife SOS and the WCB Research Foundation hope to improve habitat protection, reduce conflicts between bears and people and develop better strategies to protect the species.

To learn more about the symposium or to sign up for the event, fill out this registration form.

For more information about Wildlife SOS, visit wildlifesos.org or watch their videos at youtube.com/WildlifeSOS. To donate, visit give.wildlifesos.org.

About Wildlife SOS
For more than 30 years, Wildlife SOS has given India's most vulnerable wildlife a second chance through rescue and rehabilitation. Established in 1995, the organization has worked to combat illegal wildlife trade, mitigate human-wildlife conflict and actively collaborate with government agencies and local communities to protect habitats and promote sustainable livelihoods.

Wildlife SOS is also leading the national movement to end the exploitation of elephants in captivity through its "Begging" Elephant Campaign, which aims to save all neglected and abused begging elephants from the streets of India by 2030, getting them into sanctuary for expert medical care and lasting quality of life. For more information, visit wildlifesos.org.

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SOURCE Wildlife SOS