India's last dancing bear freed

Raju, the last dancing bear in India, is now free to roam in a bear sanctuary, never to jig or smoke cigarettes again, according to Planet Ark. Raju’s species is actually endangered, making his emancipation even more fantastic. If Raju dances, he dances free!

Raju was the last endangered sloth bear that had to work for a living, but who now can roam free at the Bannerghatta bear sanctuary on the outskirts of the southern city of Bangalore.

Sloth bears are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but they often entertained crowds by playing imaginary guitars, smoking cigarettes and dancing to the pounding of drums, providing an income for their handlers.

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