Food from the Neighbors: Sloth Bear Savoring the Debris Left by Tourists and Locals in Eco-Sensitive Zone of Chhota Udepur District, Gujarat, India

Plastic pollution in the present scenario has become one of the most critical environmental issues also having adverse impacts on wildlife. In this study we observed plastic bags and pieces of styrofoam in the scats of sloth bears. The study area is an eco-tourism site with a high number of visitors throughout the year. Low-priced items like plastics and styrofoam are replaced with eco-friendly dishes that were used by tribes a decade ago. With lack of proper disposable management knowledge, tribal people working at eco-tourism sites tend to throw waste on the forest edges. Wild animals are likely to wander around forest edges for food and water eventually attracted to the waste and unknowingly feeds on plastics. Sloth bears residing in the eco-sensitive zones are dangerously affected by increasing tourism in the area and there is an immediate need to regulate proper disposal methods for the plastic wastes. © 2023, Zoological Society, Kolkata, India.