CWRC, Assam, October 31, 2017: A female sub-adult binturong with a fractured foreleg was successfully operated upon by the veterinary team at CWRC (the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, IFAW-WTI and the Assam Forest Department’s wildlife rescue, treatment and rehabilitation facility near Kaziranga National Park) on October 29.

“The binturong was rescued by a forest department team from the Haldibari Natun Basti area of the Dokmoka Forest Range on October 24”, said Joy Sing Bey, Divisional Forest Officer, East Karbi Anglong. “We kept the animal under observation overnight and given the severity of its injury, decided that it should be shifted to the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Diphu for further care.”

Dr Santosh Gupta, the veterinarian at the Wildlife Rescue Centre, which WTI runs in partnership with the Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund (JTEF), brought the injured binturong to CWRC.  “The animal was in serious condition”, said CWRC veterinarian Dr Samshul Ali, who performed the surgery along with Dr Panjit Basumatary. “Radiography revealed a compound fracture of the right humerus at its anterior end. We operated on the fracture through internal fixation with wiring. It was a tiring hour-long orthopaedic operation, performed successfully under surgical plan of anaesthesia.”

The binturong is now under post-operative care. An X-ray of the operated limb taken yesterday morning confirmed apposition of the fracture alignment. “The animal is showing signs of improvement and we are hopeful that it will recover”, said Dr Ali. “Binturongs are a rarely sighted species and we will be happy to see this one rehabilitated back into the wild.”