Gurugram to get two animal treatment centres

The state wildlife department approved the construction of two animal treatment centres and allotted the budget for the same

The Gurugram district is set to get two animal treatment centres in the city, officials of the wildlife department said on Sunday, after the state wildlife department approved the construction of two such centres in the district.

Until now, injured animals in Gurugram were treated at centres run by NGOs or referred to other districts. (HT Archive)

MS Malik, the chief conservator of forests (wildlife) for the Gurugram circle, said, “Two animal treatment centres will be built in Gurugram, one at Sohna and another at Sultanpur villages. These will be the first such centres in the district, where wild and rescued animals can be treated. At present, the budget has been approved and construction is likely to be completed within one year.”

The officials said that until now, animals rescued in the district were treated at private treatment centres run by different non-governmental organisations or were referred to other districts.

In Gurugram and nearby region, several cases of injuries to animals, such as monkeys, hyenas and leopards, have been reported in the past. Officials said that these animals were treated at the private facilities, which may or may not have had the best facilities.

“Now, we will be able to treat these rescued animals in a better manner, with more facilities,” Malik said.

A study published in January found that the Aravallis in Gurugram, Faridabad and Delhi can support rich biodiversity and wildlife if protected from further habitat fragmentation. The study found a total of 1,327 signs of 13 mammal species during two seasons — winter and summer — of the survey in 2019. Two species of large carnivores, leopards and striped hyena, four species of herbivores, two primate species and seven species of mesocarnivores (fox, civets, mongoose, etc) were found.