RATCHABURI, Thailand: A female sun bear that was recently rescued from a forest fire in the Ban Kha district is recovering well, said veterinarians.
Anural Sakulpong said the cub’s wound on her right front leg was also healing and it was regaining its strength.
The veterinarian from the 3rd Wildlife Assistance Centre in Chom Bung district said when they found the cub, it was frightened and had an open wound about 2cm wide and 1cm deep.
“There were maggots in the wound. We washed the wound daily and applied antibiotic cream. Today, the cub has improved and is on the road to recovery,” he said.
According to the Bangkok Post, the cub was about four months old and was separated from her mother during the forest fire in Chalerm Prakiat Thai Prajan National Park in Ban Kha district.
Fire had razed the rainforest and the animal was discovered by a village chief near the Huay Makrut reservoir.
She was given the name “Chao Ban Kha” after the forest fire at Ban Kha district. Chao Ban Kha is thriving, being fed with milk six times a day, Anurak said.
Tarasak Niphanan, chief of the 3rd Wildlife Assistance Centre, said the cub would be cared for until she was healthy and strong, then returned to her natural habitat.
This process would take a long time as the cub would have to be trained for about six months to be able to care for herself in the forest, he said.
People wanting to provide support for the medicine or milk for Chao Ban Kha could visit the wildlife assistance centre, he said.