Kaziranga (Assam): A slow loris and two pythons were among the animals rescued by the NGO Nature’s Bonyapran in Sonitpur district of Assam, under an ongoing Rapid Action Project (RAP) funded by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). The RAP to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals displaced during the annual floods in the northeastern Indian state was approved as a part of WTI’s precautionary efforts to minimise casualties.

Ajay Kumar Sharma of the Nature’s Bonyapran said, “The slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) was rescued from a local household in Telengonia village of Behali with the help of the Behali police. The animal had been kept tied and had a deep wound on its left wrist. So, we handed it over to the veterinarian of the Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) unit of Arunachal Pradesh.”

The MVS Arunachal Pradesh is a joint venture of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, WTI and its partner International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Based in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, it is equipped to provide treatment to injured and displaced animals in case of emergency.

The MVS veterinarian, Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar said, “We are providing the slow loris with necessary medical care and its wound is healing. Fresh fruits are being given to it for food. It will be returned to Nature’s Bonyapran for release after treatment.”

The two pythons, believed to be Burmese rock pythons, were rescued from Behali Tea Estate and Mission Chariali. They were released in the nearby Behali Reserve Forest and Nameri National Park respectively.

Apart from these schedule I species, certain common species like the deer and common cuckoo were also rescued by the NGO.

In addition to rescue and rehabilitation, Nature’s bonyapran has also organised several campaigns for spreading awareness among locals. Leaflets on wildlife conservation were distributed to the participants including students as well as the general public. “We plan to organise more awareness campaigns. The water levels are still more or less normal, but we want the villagers to know in advance that we are here to rehabilitate the displaced wildlife. In addition to making them aware, through the campaigns we hope to establish a relationship with the villagers. They will then come forward to inform us about any injured wild animal, not only during the floods but all the year round,” said Sharma.

Prasanta Boro, veterinarian at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Assam agreed that “campaigns are necessary as it helps get information on the displaced animals”. He said, “As it has been six years since the CWRC was established, the local people here are aware of our presence and activities. They voluntarily come forward and inform us about injured and displaced animals. Currently, there has been no rise in water levels in Brahmaputra River, and since it hasn’t been raining, the threats of floods is not too apparent. However, we are also planning to organise awareness campaigns if we perceive the threat of floods.”

The CWRC, earlier this year, was granted the authority on rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife displaced by floods in Kaziranga NP. This is a collaboration of the Assam Forest Department, WTI and IFAW.

Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) units are also being kept on alert in Assam to attend to wildlife emergencies.

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