Golden Jackal rescued in Mumbai, sent to Sanjay Gandhi National Park for treatment

Mumbai city news: When residents spotted the jackal, they informed Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), who rescued the animal.

An injured golden jackal, which was chased into a residential area in Vikhroli by dogs on Wednesday evening, was rescued and sent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Borivli, for medical treatment.

The two-year-old male jackal was separated from its pack inside the mangrove forests in Vikhroli. (HT)

According to wildlife rescuers from Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), which saved the animal, the two-year-old male jackal was separated from its pack inside the mangrove forests in Vikhroli.

When the jackal entered the residential area, it panicked after seeing the crowd that had gathered. “The jackal had come very close to residential quarters and the residents panicked on spotting it in their premises due to a recent incidents of jackal attacks,” said a local resident requesting anonymity. As it attempted to run away from the dogs and people, it fell into a pit and got trapped.

As the jackal attempted to run away from the dogs and people, it fell into a pit and got trapped.

Residents called RAWW, and after the rescue operation which took 20 minutes, the jackal was safely transported in a fibre cage to SGNP. “We intimated the forest department and took our ambulance to ensure smooth rescue , quick transport and crowd management,” said Pawan Sharma, president, RAWW, who carried out the rescue with fellow volunteers Chinmay Joshi and Pratik Bhanushali.

The animal has been taken to SGNP for medical treatment.

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While jackals have been reported at the Vikhroli mangroves, the sightings are rare. Officials from the state mangrove cell estimate there are 12 jackals in the area. On May 3, three men were attacked over a span of 12 hours by a pack of jackals in adjoining mangroves near Ghatkopar.

Jackals are protected under schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and are known to frequent mangrove areas in search of crabs and other species for their diet. “We will soon be meeting with the authorities at Godrej (which owns a section of the mangrove forests) and forest department to host awareness programs for the security and residents of Godrej and nearby areas where jackals are spotted, with an aim to make the people understand the importance of these species,” said Sharma.

Jackals are protected under schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and are known to frequent mangrove areas in search of crabs.

List of guidelines issued to Godrej’s internal security team to avoid man-animal conflict

- Ensure that there is more than one person, preferably a group, manning areas close to mangrove forests

- Security personnel need to carry any device that makes noise – radio, music on their mobile phone or even a whistle – so that the animals can be alerted about the presence of humans in the area

- Animals mostly attack humans when they are either in a sitting or squatting position. Ensure that if there could be a conflict situation, the personnel must be standing

- Ensure that the right equipment such as strong canes or bamboo sticks are carried for self defense

- During the evening and night hours, carry a torchlight to be aware about surroundings

(Source: Godrej)