the world’s deadliest bear

Over the past two decades, sloth bears have mauled thousands of people in India, with hundreds succumbing to their gruesome injuries. Though the Indian government doesn’t keep track of attacks at the federal level, it’s fair to say that the sloth bear is one of the deadliest animals in India, and is responsible for more human fatalities per capita than any of the other seven bear species globally.

 In 2019, I traveled throughout Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat to interview victims and explore solutions to these conflicts for National Geographic. Read the story.