October, with its clear skies and cooler temperatures, is known for being one of the most pleasant months of the year. While we all welcomed the shift in weather, wild animals living in and around the city found themselves crossing paths with humans.
Whether it was a crocodile looking for basking opportunities, or a paralysed monkey in search of food, or even an ailing pigeon finding a safe shelter – all rescues had one thing in common: concerned citizens. Wildlife SOS received multiple calls on our helpline numbers for these animals and many more that needed assistance and were spotted by humans. Here, we discuss a few rescue instances from the month.
Delhi-NCR
The national capital of India saw a number of rescues in the month of October. One morning, an unexpected visitor trotted into the Prime Minister’s residence – a yellow-footed green pigeon. The rescuers found the beautiful bird unable to fly, so our team slowly and gently guided the pigeon into a pen, careful not to startle it further. It was transported to the Wildlife SOS Transit Facility in Gurgaon for careful observation.
The medical team analysed that the reason behind its immobility could have been disorientation, an issue that is common in birds that encounter air pollution. The bird has been shifted into a bigger enclosure for proper assessment of its flight capabilities. Once this pigeon is deemed fit to fly, it will be released.
An urgent call was received one afternoon from AIIMS Hospital. An injured rhesus macaque had unexpectedly entered the hospital’s kitchen to escape attacks from other monkeys in the area. Our team reached the site in less than half an hour, only to discover that the monkey in question was paralysed in his back legs. The primate was immediately rushed to our medical facility for treatment
A total of 170 animals were rescued by our prompt team from Delhi, including 50 mammals, 69 reptiles and 51 birds.
Uttar Pradesh
The rescue team in the most populous state of India had been receiving back-to-back rescue calls in the month of October. A nearly 6-foot-long mugger crocodile was spotted early in the morning in one of the agricultural farmlands in Nagla Kushal village of Firozabad district. Panic spread among the villagers even though the crocodile posed no threat. The reptile was rescued in a joint operation by Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and Wildlife SOS. Found to be as right as rain, the crocodile was released in a suitable habitat nearby.
Another reptile rescue call came in from a residential society located in Sikandra, which is 10 km away from Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF). A softshell turtle was oddly found with no body of water nearby. This unexplainable appearance of the turtle had the rescuers stumped. To ensure it was completely healthy, the slow-paced reptile was kept under observation for 24 hours before its release.
Wildlife SOS in the state of Uttar Pradesh was responsible for a whopping total of 186 rescues of wild animals. These included 108 reptiles, 20 birds and 58 mammals, each playing an important role for protecting the biodiversity of the region.
Gujarat
Gujarat, known for its ancient temples, also faces many interactions with wildlife. One early morning, a juvenile crocodile wandered into Dhaniyavi locality in Vadodara city. The society is known for a beautiful artificial pond filled with lotus plantations. However, sighting a baby crocodile, about 3 to 3.5 ft long, was not at all common. It seemed that the young mugger had successfully crossed a highway to reach the residential society. With the swift assistance of the forest department, the crocodile was safely rescued and our team ensured it was fit before it was released.
A total of 49 animals were rescued by our expeditious team from Gujarat including 36 reptiles, 4 mammals, and 9 birds.
Jammu & Kashmir
The residents of a land known as the “Heaven on Earth” frequently encounter snakes in close proximity. In the Habak area of Srinagar, a non-venomous rat snake was found inside a barber’s shop. Chaos ensued when the reptile was discovered taking shelter below the cupboards. Our team reached the shop where anxious customers and staff members were present, and expertly rescued the snake. The rat snake was found to be in the pink of health at the time of its medical examination, and was released safely.
Another snake rescue call concerning a Levantine viper, also known as Gunas locally, came in one evening. The highly venomous reptile had entered a home and caused restlessness among the residents. The team was able to reach Pantha Chowk promptly, an area in Srinagar located at the backside of Dachigam, where Levantine vipers are known to be found.
The northernmost rescue team was responsible for a total of 14 rescues that included 12 snakes and 2 birds, a barn owl and a black kite.
All these rescues were successful because of the responsible citizens who called the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Units. We urge you to take quick action and call our 24×7 helplines if faced with injured, orphaned or wild animals stranded in human-wildlife conflicts in the following locations:
Vadodara (Gujarat) – +91-9825011117
Jammu & Kashmir – +91-7006692300, +91-9419778280
Delhi-NCR – +91-9871963535
Agra, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) – +91-9917109666
Feature Image: Shresatha Pachori/Wildlife SOS
