Simlipal, April 19, 2014: To facilitate rescue of wild animals in Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR), Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Forest Department and Animal Works (AW), launched a rescue centre and Mobile Veterinary Service today, in the biosphere reserve.

The Field Director of STR ….. appreciated the initiative saying, “With 66 cases being handled by the Forest Department between 2011-2013, the need for a veterinary service unit like this cannot be denied. Wildlife Trust of India was a natural choice for us as a partner especially since they have experience in running similar rescue operations and centres in other states like Assam and Arunachal Pradesh as well.”

Photo: Samir Sinha / WTI

The MVS will be conveniently located at the fringe of STR and poised to immediately respond to any wildlife emergency which may arise. “This is a fully fabricated service unit which is designed to rescue, rehabilitate and provide health support to any wild animals displaced in and around the area. Most of the calls which generally come in are of reptiles, birds and small mammals and the unit will be equipped to handle any crisis,” said Dr NVK Ashraf, Chief of Wild Rescue and Conflict Mitigation, WTI.

The handling, rescue and release of wild animals may involve in-situ and/or ex-situ measures. IUCN guidelines will be strictly followed on all release and translocation protocols. Thanks to the aid provided by Animal Works, WTI will also be able to help the Forest Department in other areas as well such as disease investigation and control and as well as captive elephant care.”

Simlipal Tiger Reserve, located in the northern part of Orissa’s Mayurbhanj district, is spread over 2750 sq km and is home to the highest number of tigers in the state apart from over 54 other species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles, 21 species of frogs, 38 species of fish, 164 species of butterflies and 1078 species of plants. The 1,555.25 sq km Buffer Zone has 65 villages, with a population of over 12,500 people, mostly within the Simlipal Reserve Forest. An estimated 250,000 people from nearly a dozen tribal denominations reside in over 400 villages on the fringes of Simlipal Tiger Reserve. Anthropogenic pressures withstanding, khand shikar or ritualistic tribal hunting for herbivores also ends up disturbing the habitat and affecting the prey base of tigers in the area.

Dr Ashraf further compounded on the above saying, “We also have plans to help create awareness drives amongst the local villagers on how to deal with and respond to different conflict scenarios which is invariable when you have so many people living in such close proximity to a wildlife reserve.”

Wildlife Trust of India had with the assistance of the Forest Department carried out an awareness-based Rapid Action Project (RAP) in the area, which had resulted in ten hunters from the Simlipal Tiger Reserve surrendering their bows and arrows and vowing to help protect the wildlife of the reserve.