COIMBATORE: In the wake frequent conflicts involving wild animals, activists have highlighted the need for a rescue and rehabilitation centre exclusively for the district, which has vast swathes of forest.
Recent incidents include the rescue of an 18-month-old female leopard after she was stuck in bushes. The animal is presently battling for life in Mettupalayam forest office.
Similarly, a six-year-old male leopard fell ill due to seizures near Government Botanical Garden in the Nilgiris district on May 16. After undergoing treatment for 20 days, the animal was sent to Vandalur Zoo in Chennai on June 5.
Wildlife Nature Conservation Trust Founder Sadiq Ali said that there is no facility to offer help to wild animals in distress.
"The state government should take steps to set up a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre with operation theatre and facilities for round-the-clock treatment," Ali said, adding that such facilities are only available in Chennai.
K Kalidass of Osai, an environmental organisation, told TNIE that such a centre is also needed in the Nilgiris, which has been witnessing large number of man-animal conflicts.
"Apart from a recue centre, a separate veterinary officer should be appointed for Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore and in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris, since both have tiger reserves. In many instances elephants, leopards and spotted deers too need emergency care. Many times, animals die without timely action by the veterinarians," Kalidass said, citing an instance in which a female elephant died last year in Coimbatore due to non-availability of a veterinarian.
After the incident, Kalidass said, Sugumar was appointed as forest veterinarian in Coimbatore.
Activists said though the district has a Rapid Response Team (RRT), it lacks resources to handle emergency cases.
When an 18-month-old female leopard was entangled in bushes in Mothepalayam village, Sadiq Ali said that the RRT neither had the right equipment to release the animal, nor safety gears.
Ali, who assisted the forest department said, "The government should also provide equipments to the front line staff. It is not an easy task to rescue a wild animal. We found the animal paralysed as it was entangled in a wire that looked like a two-wheeler brake cable. Ali said he suspects it to be a snare.
A senior forest official said setting up a rescue and rehabilitation centre is a long process.
"First of all the government has to give permission. Then land has to be identified and estimate cost of the equipment to be procured and other expenditures. Considering the present Covid situation, it is highly unlikely that the government will allocate funds for this. However, we will send a proposal," the official said.