Sun Bear Released to Mount Tarak After Recovery from Hunter's Snare

Pontianak — A combined team from the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA), the Southern Ketapang Forest Management Unit (KPH), and the Indonesian Nature Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation (YIARI) has released a male sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) named Azim back into its natural habitat in Mount Tarak Protected Forest.

Azim was released on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, following an intensive rescue, care, and rehabilitation process after being caught in a hunter’s snare. The bear was first detected through camera traps deployed by the YIARI team in November 2024 to monitor biodiversity in Mount Tarak Protected Forest. The footage revealed the bear suffering from a snare wound on its right front leg, causing it to walk with a limp.

The search and rescue operation lasted over seven months. On 27 June 2025, Azim was successfully captured using a trap cage. YIARI’s medical team and West Kalimantan BKSDA officers immediately evacuated and examined the bear’s condition.

YIARI veterinarian Ishma Maula noted that upon rescue, Azim was severely malnourished and suffering from severe infection. Without intervention, the bear would likely not have survived.

After months of treatment, Azim’s physical condition improved, though its leg did not fully return to normal. The team decided to return it to the forest.

YIARI’s Chairman Silverius Oscar Unggul emphasised that this case serves as a warning about the real threats faced by Indonesia’s wildlife from hunting and snare usage. “Azim’s release is not only the rescue of an individual animal, but also a reminder of the importance of habitat protection and preventing threats to wildlife,” he stated.

Forest management officials stressed the strategic role of KPH in preserving forest conservation through strengthened patrols, biodiversity monitoring, illegal activity surveillance, and local community empowerment.

“Azim’s release is a symbol of successful conservation that affirms that efforts to protect wildlife and its habitat must be sustained,” they said.

Azim’s return to the forest marks an important moment in West Kalimantan wildlife conservation, whilst reminding the public of the importance of maintaining ecosystem integrity for the survival of wildlife and natural balance.