Chandigarh: A gun will fire at the Chhatbir zoo tomorrow. Only, this gun will demonstrate the process of tranquilizing a wild animal to a group of Forest and Wildlife officials from Punjab. 

A two day training program on the use of tranquilizing equipment begins tomorrow at the Chhatbir Zoo, Chandigarh. The training is organized by the Punjab Forest Department with support from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

The curriculum specially designed by WTI, will orient the participants on various aspects of chemical capture of wild animals, such as the use of equipments available for drug immobilization, drugs available for chemical restraint, remote injection delivery systems and the choice and dosages of drugs for immobilization of various species.

Twenty officials from the Punjab Forests and Wildlife Department and ten veterinary doctors from the Animal Husbandry Department of Punjab are expected to participate in the training program. Officials from the Forests and Wildlife Department include DFO, Wildlife Inspector, Dy. DFO, Range Officers and Forests and Wildlife Guards.

The three-member team from WTI is led by Dr. NVK Ashraf, Director of Wild Rescue programme. Dr. Bhaskar Choudhury, Veterinary Surgeon and Dr. Prajna Paramita Panda, Program Officer, will participate in the training program as resource persons.

According to Dr. Ashraf, “The training will primarily focus on chemical capture and restraint of wild mammals. Three categories of mammals have been identified for the purpose, primates, antelopes and carnivores.”

Punjab is home to a large number of wild animals such as black buck, leopard, jungle cat, nilgai and rhesus macaques. Adequate protection for wild animals and forest conservation has become highest priority in recent years, in view of the rapid urbanization and frequent human-animal conflicts in the state.

Several cases were reported in the past of wild animals being killed either by poachers, inadequate forest protection or lack of local technical expertise to handle wild animals in distress. Human-animal conflict is also reported from many areas in the state. Leopard attacks on humans have also become more frequent due to their dwindling habitats.

According to Bhaskar Choudhary, “The present training is aimed at enhancing their technical expertise so that they are capable of handling such problems in future. Tranquilizing techniques will basically help in transporting the wild animals from conflict sites to safer areas. These are particularly important in areas adjoining wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, where the chances of such incidents are higher.”

Remote injection delivery system is a unique method of administering drugs on wild animals and is increasingly becoming popular in India. It requires proper training and skill for effectively employing it on the subjects. Moreover, equipments and drugs used for wild animals are not commonly available in the markets.

The current training program in Chandigarh by WTI is the third in the series of chemical immobilization trainings for the forest and wildlife officials in India. The first was conducted in the state of Assam in 2002, and the second was conducted in Chilla in Rajaji National Park, in the year 2003.

The Wild Rescue division of WTI has the expertise and experience of handling such drugs and equipments. The two pioneering projects of WTI in the northeast, CWRC in Kaziranga, Assam and CBRC in Pakke Arunachal Pradesh, are dedicated for rescue and rehabilitation of distressed wild animals of the region.

WTI hopes that the present training program in Punjab will not only benefit the forests and wildlife officials with the expertise of WTI for relief and rescue operations, but also bring help and reprieve to wild animals of the region.