Flood affected people attending the camp

Manas National Park, September 5, 2015: The flood situation in Assam has worsened in the last few days with River Brahmaputra and its tributaries flowing over the danger mark across the state. Large parts of Assam have been inundated, forcing humans and animals to look for higher ground. The widespread floods have also led to an increase in number of diseases that have begun to impact the human and animal population in the state.

Over 16 lakh people have been affected and over 2.26 lakh of them are in relief camps. More so, a lot of cattle have succumbed to floods and many of them are suffering from various water borne diseases. In order to address this crisis, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)-Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Emergency Relief Network (ERN) team conducted two health camps for livestock in villages around Manas National Park and Manas Reserve Forest.

ERN veterinarians providing treatment to livestock during one of the camps

In the Manas RF, the camp was held on September 5, 2015, for four villages wherein more than 625 livestock were treated for various diseases. “The area has been affected by floods from Agrong and Dhola rivers which have caused widespread destruction. On the first day, the IFAW-WTI veterinarians treated livestock for skin diseases, foot and mouth disease, parasite infestation, sore hump, weakness, dysentery and fever. Medicines were also handed out to villagers to ensure that the livestock remain healthy,” said Bhaskar Choudhury, Regional Head, IFAW-WTI. The camp will be operational for one more day and would try and reach out to as many animals as it can.

Another camp was held along the fringes of Manas National Park wherein 250 animals, including 100 goats, were treated on September 5. . The camp will be operational for the next four days and the target for the ERN team is to provide veterinary assistance to 1000 more animals. In its next phase the team would reach out to villagers of Bhalaguri, Labdanguri, Oxiguri, Chamthaibari and Kahitama.

Through ERN WTI is developing a network of wildlife rehabilitators working in India who would like to rehabilitate distressed wildlife. ERN is an association of team of people whose expertise on the skill of rehabilitation can be utilised to reach out to rehabilitators in different parts of the country. This team of trained rehabilitators, of people and organizations, can exchange, share and contribute their knowledge and professional skills to save wildlife for the cause of conservation. ERN has earlier actively participated in rescuing and treating wild and domestic animals during Hud Hud and Phailin cyclones.

Read More: https://www.wti.org.in/ERN.aspx