Kaziranga, September 1, 2014: Four Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) units of International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) along with the State Forest Department, NGOs and the local community, have rescued 33 wild animals who had moved out during the recent flood wave in Kaziranga National Park between August 25-30, 2014.

The IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) has released 25 of the rescued animals successfully to a safe area of the National Park.

Around 80% of the park is submerged in water, as water levels are now receding, with the deer population most affected as they move towards the highlands of the Karbi Anglong. A number of hog deer have been rescued from the fringe villages. The National Highway 37 has been the lifeline connecting Kaziranga landscape to Karbi Anglong, through the number of corridors connecting the park.

The Forest Department has again introduced a ‘Time Card’ to control vehicle movement and speed on the highway at night, to ensure safety of the animals crossing the road. Road hits unfortunately become very likely at this time of the year and recently WTI attended a case of a wild board hit in Haldibhari area of the Central Forest Range.

Forest guards during nigh patroling on NH 37 in the Central Range of Kaziranga National Park on August 27 2014. Photo:Subhamoy Bhattacharjee/IFAW-WTI

Monitoring and patrolling is being continued as a number of animals have started to return to their original habitat as the water levels are gradually decreasing. There were no rescue calls on Sunday, August 31.

A rescued wild boar was released by th IFAW-WTI team in the safe forest area of Kaziranga National park. Photo:Subhamoy Bhattacharjee/IFAW-WTI

An injured wild boar rescue on NH 37 in the central range of Kaziranga National Park. Photo:Subhamoy Bhattacharjee/IFAW-WTI