India's oldest sloth bear 'Bablu' passes away at Bhopal zoo

In a sad turn of events, a 36-year-old male sloth bear named Bablu has died due to multi-organ failure at the Van Vihar National Park-cum-animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Bablu held the distinction of being the oldest bear in captivity in the country.

The veterinarian, Dr Atul Gupta, revealed that the bear had stopped eating three to four days before its demise.


Bablu had been rescued from a 'madaari' (street performer) in Rajasthan and brought to Van Vihar on May 6, 2006, at the age of 19.

The average lifespan of a bear in the wild is 25 to 30 years. After the death of another bear named Gulabo in January 2022, Bablu became the oldest bear in captivity in India.

Wildlife SOS, a non-governmental organisation working for the rescue of elephants, bears, and leopards across India, expressed sadness over Bablu's passing.

The post-mortem has been conducted, and important body parts have been sent to the Wildlife Forensic and Health facility in Jabalpur.