HERCULES IS RELEASED
We are overjoyed to announce that male sun bear, Hercules, is back in the forest where he belongs!
In the early hours of 9th September 2024, Hercules was anaesthetised and placed into his specially prepared transport box. The box was lined with banana leaves for him to rest on and a cloth cover to visually keep him calm.
SSBT President, Lesley Small, alongside the Sumatran Rescue Alliance (SRA) veterinarian and sun bear head keeper, Ikram, oversaw this and prepared for the long drive to the release site. Several Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) senior staff and BKSDA (Indonesian Forestry) officials were also in attendance. For those who have been following Hercules story from the start, you will agree it’s been a Herculean (pun intended) effort to get to this point…
Hercules was brought into SSBT care back in February 2023, a victim of a snare and his left paw had to be amputated as a result of this. Since then, SSBT have worked closely with the SRA keepers in ensuring that Hercules still possessed the skills to survive in the wild. As Hercules has shown us, sun bears are very adaptable creatures.
We watched as he ripped through large rotting logs and adapted to his new situation. Hercules used his left stump to hold a coconut still, while using his right paw to claw open the tough outer exterior and enjoy the inner delights. Hercules also used his stump to help him climb. It took some time before he attempted to climb the tree trunks placed in his dens, but he developed strength, skills and courage to be able to climb high for food.
Sun bears spend two to three years with their mothers learning how to survive in the wild, and this is where they develop their lifelong survival skills. Hercules, estimated to be 15 years old, displayed that he had all of these skills in abundance, and remained fierce, giving us the confidence that he could return to the wild. The SRA keepers made no attempt to train him or encourage him to relate to people in any way. The release of Hercules was always on our minds, and we wanted him to remain wild and not have a positive affiliation with people.
While this was taking place, SSBT prepared the case for Hercules release to present to Government officials. Research included compiling and reviewing camera trap footage/images featuring wild sun bears with missing paws. These bears may have escaped snares, but lost their paw in the process or having undergone surgery they were later rereleased to the wild. Crucially, this footage showed these bears surviving and thriving in the forest. This information, along with updates of Hercules progress, was presented to the relevant authorities who, after careful deliberation, approved the release.
Over to Lesley for a first-hand account of that fateful day:
“We drove through land that the OIC forest restoration group had restored, until arriving at a river. On the other side of the river was the National Park where Hercules was to be released. The transport box, with Hercules inside, weighed over 100KG and we needed to get the box on to the other side of the flowing river.
Six fearless personnel guided a raft over the river in chest-deep flowing water. For safety reasons the slide of the box needed to be opened from a distance, so ropes and guidelines were attached to the box and brought back onto our side of the river. Once everybody was secure in a safe place, the moment arrived. The rope was pulled, the slide opened and Hercules ran out without any hesitation!
OIC have placed camera traps in the local vicinity, so we’re hoping to capture and share footage of Hercules living his wild life again. We know that you all will join us in wishing him a lifetime of good luck and hope that he can avoid any deadly snares. They are one of the contributing factors that cause human conflict.”
Sun bears are a key-stone species, meaning that other species and the forest rely on the presence and actions of sun bears to remain healthy and diverse. Sun bears are classified as Vulnerable to extinction so this release of Hercules, contributes to sun bear conservation.
Thank you once again to our partners OIC and SRA who work under the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. We appreciate all their efforts and hard work to make this rehabilitation and release possible.
