MYSURU: The death of two tiger cubs at the Sri Chamundeshwari Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru, which was rescued from BRT, has exposed serious lapses in the state’s wildlife healthcare management, particularly the delay in appointing dedicated wildlife veterinary experts and officers to key posts.
The continued reliance on deputed officers from the Department of Animal Husbandry and contractual appointments has left wildlife rehabilitation centres and even zoos struggling to provide adequate medical care to rescued animals.
At a time when the region is witnessing a steady rise in rescue and rehabilitation cases of wild animals, the need for veterinary experts and officer appointments has never been more urgent.
Even Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday acknowledged that several posts in zoos, elephant camps, and rehabilitation centres remain vacant.
To manage the shortfall, veterinary officers from the Department of Animal Husbandry are being deputed or appointed on a contractual basis, a stopgap arrangement that, he said, cannot substitute for trained wildlife professionals.
The Minister’s communication comes in the wake of multiple distressing incidents. At the Sakrebailu elephant camp in Shivamogga, four elephants are reportedly suffering from illness, while Balanna, an elephant that participated in the Shivamogga Dasara, had to undergo partial ear removal after a severe infection. Such cases, officials admit, reflect the absence of continuous medical supervision by experienced wildlife veterinarians.
The situation is equally grim on the field. With wild elephants and tigers increasingly straying towards human settlements, rescue and capture operations have become more frequent and more dangerous.
Forest veterinarians and frontline staff often face life-threatening situations during tranquilisation and rescue missions. There have been several incidents where both forest personnel and veterinarians lost their lives and sustained severe injuries while handling distressed or aggressive animals.
“These jobs demand not just expertise but immense courage and passion,” said a senior forest officer who batted for permanent experienced wildlife vets instead of putting deputed officers or on contract with no experience, who when they joined, can be trained by experienced wildlife vets.
“Without proper manpower and support, we are putting both human and animal lives in jeopardy. We need experts who have exposure to wildlife and have handled wild animals during the process of rehabilitation,” the officer added.
The minister’s letter directs officials to submit a detailed proposal to the Finance Department for the creation of a separate wildlife veterinary cadre with a clear framework for recruitment and training. However, wildlife conservationists say that these remain just in papers, and the files just get dusted and never see the light of day.
“It is high time to ensure permanent appointments of specialised veterinarians who can handle wildlife healthcare, rehabilitation, and tranquilisation duties effectively should be put in these positions, which will be a long-overdue reform,” said a Mysuru-based conservation expert.
