Historic Video Capture of Himalayan Brown Bear in Himachal Pradesh

In a remarkable breakthrough for wildlife conservation, the Himalayan Brown Bear has been captured on video for the first time in Himachal Pradesh's Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary. This historic footage, featuring a female bear and her cub, marks a significant milestone in the documentation of this rare species. Forest officials confirmed the sighting during routine monitoring, validating long-held local accounts of the bear's presence. The discovery highlights the ecological importance of the sanctuary and raises hopes for the survival of the species amidst growing environmental threats. Further studies and drone monitoring are planned to track the bear's movements, enhancing our understanding of this elusive creature's habitat.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 28, 2026, 16:08 IST

Significant Wildlife Discovery in Chamba

News Media
Chamba

In a groundbreaking development for wildlife preservation in Himachal Pradesh, the rare Himalayan Brown Bear has been recorded on video for the first time within the secluded Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamba district, providing renewed optimism for the survival of this endangered species.

Forest officials have confirmed that a female brown bear and her cub were recently captured on camera by trail devices placed deep within the sanctuary's challenging alpine landscape. This footage represents the first verified photographic and video evidence of the species in this protected area.

This significant finding emerged during the annual wildlife monitoring conducted by the Forest Department in the high-altitude regions of the sanctuary earlier this month. Officials noted that the discovery was made possible through persistent camera-trap monitoring and extensive field tracking in the rugged mountainous terrain.

Chamba Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) Kuldeep Singh Jamwal stated that the department had received an initial indication of the species last year when a trail camera captured a blurry image of a male bear on July 28. However, this evidence was deemed inconclusive. A clearer image of a male brown bear was recorded on May 13 of this year, leading officials to ramp up monitoring efforts in the area.

“Eventually, the female bear and her cub were successfully filmed on May 20. This marks the first confirmed video evidence of the Himalayan Brown Bear in Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary,” Jamwal explained.

For many years, local villagers, shepherds, and graziers in the remote Pir Panjal region have reported sightings and signs of the brown bear, yet the species had never been scientifically documented within the sanctuary. Officials indicated that this new footage finally corroborates those long-held local narratives.

Wildlife specialists believe that the presence of the Himalayan Brown Bear indicates a robust and functioning mountain ecosystem. As a top carnivore and scavenger, this species relies on stable prey populations and undisturbed alpine habitats.

Jamwal emphasized that this discovery significantly enhances the ecological value of Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary and suggests that the area could serve as a vital habitat corridor for the species in the western Himalayas.

The Himalayan Brown Bear is recognized as one of the rarest large mammals in the Indian Himalayas, existing in scattered regions of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. In Himachal Pradesh, its known habitats are primarily confined to Kugti and Tundah wildlife areas in Bharmour and the Sechu Tuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Pangi valley of Chamba district.

This species faces increasing threats from habitat loss, climate change, diminishing alpine pastures, and rising human encroachment in delicate mountain ecosystems.

Covering an area of 108.4 square kilometers in Chamba district’s Salooni subdivision, the Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 3,900 meters and shares borders with the Kathua and Doda regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

Interestingly, the sanctuary is named after the Hangul or Kashmir stag, which was once thought to inhabit these forests during the princely era of Chamba. However, no recent evidence of this species has been documented in the area.

Forest officials announced that further scientific research will be conducted in partnership with the Zoological Survey of India, and drone-based monitoring is also being planned to observe the movements and habitat usage of the female bear and her cub.