Vasi the Sloth Bear Makes History with First-of-Its-Kind Prosthetic Leg After Surviving Snare Trap Injury

NEED TO KNOW

• Vasi the sloth bear lived in the wild until he got caught in a snare trap

• The incident led to a leg amputation for the bear and a full-time residency at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in Bangalore, India

• The sloth bear recently made history by being the first of his species to receive a prosthetic limb. Made possible with help from Wildlife SOS and Derek Campana

A sloth bear who lost a foot to a snare trap is back to walking on four legs thanks to his dedicated caretakers.

Vasikaran, also known as “Vasi,” the sloth bear, was originally a wild animal roaming the lush land of Karnataka, India. Unfortunately, during his journey, Vasi encountered a wire snare trap, which ended up clamped around his back leg in September 2019.

It was clear Vasi needed help to survive the encounter with the trap, which left the bear with a horrific injury to his hind paw. Wildlife SOS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping India’s distressed and injured wildlife, stepped in to assist Vasi, relocating the bear to the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) in Bangalore.

At the center, Vasi had his injured back leg amputated, since the paw was too damaged from the trap to be saved. The sloth bear adapted to life on three limbs, but the injury prevented the bear from returning to the wild, so he became a full-time resident at BBRC.

According to Wildlife SOS, it didn’t take the bear long to endear himself to the staff of Wildlife SOS and BBRC, all of whom fell in love with Vasi through his playful attitude, curiosity, and penchant for sitting upright like a human.

While caring for Vasi, BBRC noticed that the bear had become accustomed to walking on three feet, but he wasn’t moving comfortably. Despite there being no precedent for making a prosthetic paw for a sloth bear, Wildlife SOS and BBRC decided it was worth trying for Vasi’s happiness and well-being.

The two parties collaborated with Bannerghatta Biological Park and the Karnataka Forest Department to initiate the process of creating a custom prosthetic for Vasi. The project began to take shape when it recruited Derrick Campana, a world-renowned animal orthotist better known as the “Wizard of Paws.”

Over his long career, Campana has created prosthetics for a variety of animals, including dogs, horses, and even elephants, but Vasi was his first sloth bear. Campana didn’t balk at the challenge; instead, he set to work, molding a custom prosthetic for Vasi over several days, ensuring that the bear’s new leg could withstand digging and other natural bear behaviors.

Recently, Vasi was introduced to the prosthetic for the first time. Dr. Arun A. Sha, director of research & veterinary operations with Wildlife SOS, fitted the bear with the artificial limb. Because Wildlife SOS and BBRC have spent years caring for Vasi and conditioning the animal to trust his caretakers, the bear accepted the prosthetic without fear and soon started testing out the first-of-its-kind device.

To everyone’s relief, Vasi started walking with the prosthetic right away and appeared more comfortable moving around since he was finally able to put equal weight on all four limbs again.

“This prosthetic is a medical milestone; it doesn’t just restore his gait, it safeguards his future,” Dr. Sha said in a statement to PEOPLE.

Today, Vasi is bolder and more confident than ever. He is climbing higher, acting more playful, and preparing to meet some of the rescue center’s other bears. To prevent irritation, Vasi is given breaks from his prosthetic, so he doesn’t wear the device 24/7.

“Vasi has no negative reaction to the prosthetic. This is gonna extend his life, it’s gonna make him a lot more comfortable. It’s going to allow his body to stay healthy for a longer period of time, so sky’s the limit for Vasi,” Campana added in a statement.

As the first known sloth bear with a prosthetic, Vasi is a fantastic ambassador for giving rescue animals the chance to showcase their resilience and strength.

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“Vasi’s story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. He survived human cruelty, adapted to loss, and is now thriving thanks to science and compassion. His prosthetic is a symbol of what’s possible when innovation and empathy come together.” Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS, shared.

To learn more about Wildlife SOS, visit the nonprofit’s website.

Read the original article on People