[1]Bengaluru: The Forest Department will soon set up Quick Response Units in all the 12 Wildlife Circles of Karnataka to manage animal straying incidents.
Presently the wildlife tranquilising squads are available only at Bengaluru and Mysore, due to which there is always a delay in rescuing the wild animals that are strayed into human habitations. The delay in rescue usually leads to cases of animals attacking the crowd.
The state which is rich in wild fauna also accounts for various wildlife straying cases on daily basis. Starting from snakes in Bengaluru to elephants in Hassan there are many animals which stray into human habitats which were once jungles. Leopards and sloth bears often stray into human habitations and such cases are on the rise in Tumkur and other parts of the state.
Wildlife PCCF, G S Prabhu said that about 12 darting guns will be purchased and two officers from each Circles will be trained to handle these guns at the time animal straying incidents.
“The response time is often extended since the squads are concentrated in Bengaluru and Mysore. At time we receive animal rescue calls from coastal parts of the state and its takes longer time for the teams to reach.
Hence we are ensuring a tranquiliser in every Circle so that the rescue is not delayed. We shall train two officers to handle the tranquiliser and basic rescue kits such as nets, vehicles and cages will be provided at the Circle level forest offices,” Prabhu informed.
The forest department is also planning to tie up with veterinary colleges in different parts of the state so that the animal veterinarians will assist the tranquilisers on darting proportions and process to be conducted after the animal is darted.
“There are very few wildlife veterinarians and we have requested the animal husbandry experts to popularise the subject of wildlife veterinary so that their help can be taken in animal rescues,” Prabhu added.
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