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MP: Tranquilisers key to wildlife rescue operations, says expert
With man-animal conflict increasing in Madhya Pradesh and big cats straying into areas close to human habitations, the state wildlife department invited experts to get veterinarians and members of wildlife rescue squads in using, firing and maintaining tranquilisers.
With man-animal conflict increasing in Madhya Pradesh and big cats straying into areas close to human habitations, the state wildlife department invited experts to get veterinarians and members of wildlife rescue squads in using, firing and maintaining tranquilisers.
"If a tiger or a leopard has sneaked into a residential area, then getting the animal tranquillised at the earliest can not only save human lives, but also save the wild animal from getting killed or injured by enraged villagers," said wildlife expert and secretary of NGO Wildlife Tranqui Force, Shafath Ali Khan.
Khan was a part of the resource team that trained around 40 wildlife officials from across the state at a two-day workshop at Van Vihar National Park. The workshop on wildlife anesthesia and upkeep of related arms concluded on Tuesday.
Khan trained forest officials on how to use tranquillising guns, which make a huge difference while rescuing or capturing wild animals.
"I gave them (forest officials) a practical training on aiming (by) using darts. I also told them how to adjust their aim at different animals in accordance to distances," Khan said.
He also taught the participants about the ways to maintain a tranquilising gun, which costs around Rs 5 lakh.
Hyderabad-based veterinarian Dr M Navin Kumar, another trainer at the event, said: "Different wild animals need different dosages of anesthesia. Apart from this one has to know how to take care of the wild animal under anesthesia."
The veterinarian informed the participants about different drug combinations.
Former principal chief conservator of forests, Andhra Pradesh, Hitesh Malhotra also trained participants in the workshop.
Twenty-eight rescue squad members and 12 veterinary doctors from different parts of the state participated in the training, director of Van Vihar National Park Bhopal, BPS Parihar, said.
"It is not easy to catch the wild animals without harming both human beings and animals. It needs expertise and proper knowledge. Also, anesthesia is required when sick and injured wild animals are brought to rescue centres. This workshop will help officers and employees engaged in the task to work better in future," he said.
10 killed in seven years
The man-animal conflict in the state has claimed many human lives over the years. Ten people have been killed by tigers in Bandhavgarh alone in the last 7 years.
Apart from tigers, leopards have also killed many people.
In recent times, apart from villages close to forests, there have been incidents of leopards straying into urban areas like Indore, Jabalpur and outskirts of Bhopal.
Movement of a leopard was caught on CCTVs in Narsinghpur near a temple and in the residential area of Indore, giving sleepless nights to residents and authorities.
