To begin, everyone at Wildlife SOS would like to give a big shout out to all our invaluable supporters who have contributed to the welfare of the wild animals under rehabilitative care, be it a one-time donation, a donation in kind or a regular contributiion towards an animal’s care.
A Peek Behind the Curtain
As we introduce ourselves to visitors that arrive at our centres, let us take you back in time and help you understand how we came to be.
Wildlife SOS has been around for more than 30 years now, having started out with only a handful of individuals determined to conserve India’s wildlife. The organisation was established in a small garage in New Delhi with limited resources. Founders dedicated their time and energy to their first major project of resolving the archaic practice of ‘dancing’ bears, on which the Kalandar community solely depended on to sustain themselves. This gave way to providing long-term care for sloth bears at multiple rescue facilities such as Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), the Bannerughatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC), Van Vihar Bear Rescue Facility (VVBRF) and West Bengal Bear Rescue Centre (WBBRC).
As the organisation got recognised for its commendable efforts to reduce the bear trade, people from all around the world started showing support through generous contributions. International Animal Rescue (IAR), a UK-based conservation organisation, has been instrumental in helping us end the brutal ‘dancing’ bear practice since the very beginning. Strong support for welfare of these sloth bears have given them a better life, a home akin to the wild, and all that they needed and required. At the same time, as a holistic approach that would prevent the Kalandar community from returning to the practice, assistance towards alternative livelihoods, education for children and empowerment of Kalandar women was given.
Because this all-rounded approach received such encouragement, the vision of our co-founders to protect India’s wildlife now seemed possible. Wildlife SOS began to expand efforts, starting with India’s elephants and how they were held captive because of the practice of ‘begging’, logging, circus, riding tourists, and for religious processions. Rescuing the elephants was just one part, because the responsibility for their extended care was the next, immediate step. This helped us lay foundations for elephant centres such as the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre (ERC), and the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) and the Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC).
The focus further expanded towards human-leopard conflict, and a facility was born for the big cats in Maharashtra – the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC).
Centres for the protection of Himalayan Brown Bears and Asiatic Black Bears were also established in Jammu and Kashmir. They are the Dachigam Rescue Centre and the Pahalgam Rescue Centre.
Simultaneously, we have established rescue hotlines across key cities in India where our Rapid Response Units are constantly on the move to rescue wildlife from urban localities.
Alongside establishing the hotlines and centres for rescued animals, multiple conservation projects also blossomed across the country, such as the Habitat Conservation Project in Ramdurga Valley, Karnataka and the Nilgiri Conservation Project in Tamil Nadu.
Today, 30 years on, our organisation operates a total of 17 conservation and care facilities across the country.
Given the extent of Wildlife SOS’s work, here’s an exclusive look at how we employ the donations we receive.
Medical Care of Rescued Animals
Every animal we rescue and provide a sanctuary to, carries a story. Sadly, each is full of scars – both physical and emotional. Being ‘dancing’ bears made to perform, or elephants that were forced to ‘beg’ on streets and carry heavy loads on their back, they have been left with chronic wounds that require consistent attention. Leopards, brown bears and black bears rescued from conflict situations also require lifelong medical care, species specific management and a safe environment where they can finally heal and simply be wild again.
Our proficient team of veterinarians provide extensive care to every rescued elephant and sloth bears on their healing journeys, ensuring each individual receives specialised medical attention that helps them heal. Our aim is to provide them with the best possible life.
Fundraising efforts have been able to help Wildlife SOS set up India’s 1st elephant hospital in Mathura. Elephants rescued in dire conditions are provided with the treatments, examinations and the best of care using advanced medical tools that are in accordance with their weight and size. Experts from across the world have visited the campus to study elephant treatment and exchange valuable insights.
Partnerships have also been established through global collaborations in progressing effective target training methods for sloth bears under care.
Regular target training sessions, which are carried out using positive reinforcement, ensure that medical care takes place smoothly. Our resident bears and elephants cooperate during these sessions by responding to gentle prompts and cues, preventing the usage of sedatives entirely. The promise of receiving edible rewards keeps them highly motivated.
One of the significant parts of nurturing these animals is the time, patience and a healthcare plan needed to support our aging residents. Geriatric bears and elephants receive specific medications and supplements, including multivitamins and joint-support formulations, to maintain their mobility and overall well-being. Routine veterinary check-ups involve haematological, biochemical, and faecal analyses, careful monitoring of feed intake, gait assessments, body weight tracking, and close examinations to catch problems early.
Some treatments are uniform across elephant care, such as foot care and hydrotherapy owing to dysfunctional joints of their limbs. For sloth bears, the cruel ‘dancing’ bear practice included deliberate smashing of their teeth when they were captured as cubs, and this was done so they do not bite or attack their captors. Due to this, many rescued sloth bears undergo dental treatments.
Leopards rescued from conflict have unfortunately been a part of situations that have led them to face severe trauma. This has not only caused them emotional harm, but also had long-term effects on their physical being. Those that face permanent disabilities due to fear and retaliation by people who encountered them, or by the evil snare traps set up by poachers in the wild, are brought under our rehabilitative care.
Our veterinarians work tirelessly to heal leopards and give them a second chance to live in the forest. Once the distressed recover, they are safely released into their habitat. Angel was a leopard who had arrived paralysed at our centre. After undergoing intensive treatment, she made an astounding recovery. Soon after, she was back in the wild.
Most health conditions among rescued elephants, bears and leopards may be long-lasting or even permanent, but they definitely can be healed by providing appropriate treatments.
As we remain committed to secure the health and healing of rescued animals under long-term care, the underlying factor to provide elaborate treatments, constant medical care and using advanced medical tools is receiving consistent monetary support.
Nutrition and Food Supplies
Elephants are large mammals that have an elaborate diet and are constantly foraging. Currently, we have nearly 40 elephants under our care that were found to be malnourished under neglected captivity, and great attention is given to preparing nourishing meals they require. They are each served with more than a 100 kilograms of seasonal green succulent fodder. In the summers, this includes chari (sorghum), while the winters see berseem and sugarcane as the main fodder. In addition to this, every pachyderm receives at least 10 kg of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables every single day as per their needs.
Their caregivers prepare cooked concentrate, a solid mix made with ragi (finger millet), horse gram, and brown rice, each receiving 1-5 kg depending on their curated diet charts. Medical supplements according to each pachyderm’s need, along with additions such as digestive herbal powder in winter and Oral Rehydration Solution and curd in summers, are added in this meal for easy consumption.
As many as 150 sloth bears across four of our centres receive healthy meals consisting of nutritious porridge twice a day. This meal is primarily made out of ragi (finger millet) or jowar (sorghum), and sometimes, a mix of both. Vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes are added to this. When an extra dash of protein is required for a sloth bear, porridge is served with a tempting add-on: boiled eggs. Given that sloth bears have a rather sweet tooth, jaggery, dates, peanut butter and honey are heartily provided to them.
With a keen understanding of their appetite in the wild, rescued leopards at our centre are provided with fresh meat, five days a week. This ensures that their diet remains to be a protein-rich one.
Provision of food is an indispensable part of an animal’s health and care. Sponsors of individual elephants are ensuring that they receive wholesome portions of fruits, vegetables and fodder. Those supporting sloth bear care are helping us provide them with abundant portions of sweet treats that they absolutely love. And we are grateful to donors who wish that the big cats under our care are never left wanting.
Enclosure Management
There’s a large effort that goes into the successful rehabilitation of animals. An entire crew in coordination helps to sail the ship. The primary responsibilities include providing utmost comfort to resident animals. Replenishing water bowls for sloth bears and leopards, and water troughs for elephants, and maintaining hygiene around enclosures are some of the most crucial tasks of their day.
No animal is inert to weather changes, and so, their needs and requirements in their living environment need to be well considered. A seasonal checklist for caregivers is therefore compiled, with set management protocols to be followed. During the hot summers, coolers are set up to cool indoor enclosures (feeding dens) for sloth bears, sprinklers are switched on in the fields for sloth bears, elephants and leopards, and pools are consistently filled with fresh water for both pachyderms and ursines to take refreshing dips in. When winters arrive in the north, tarps blankets and bonfires for elephants and den heaters for bears are timely set up, while halogen lights and straw beds are spread out for the geriatric to provide warmth at night.
Rescued elephants and sloth bears had led lives on unnatural surfaces that were never suitable to how they have evolved. At our centres, they were finally welcomed to sandy grounds that are soft and comforting. A vital task when it comes to managing elephant enclosures is ploughing. Freshly turned soil with the help of mini excavators, encourages healthy weight distribution on the elephant’s feet. Additionally, these fields are kept clean to prevent any sharp element getting lodged in their foot pads. For leopards and sloth bears as well, it is imperative to maintain sanitation of their enclosures to secure their health.
Leopards under our care have their own day and night compounds in their enclosures that encourage them to practice their natural behaviour. Thorough cleaning is done regularly for each, including weeding every monsoon to maintain the environment for the big cats and the ursines. Their environment is maintained with greens which mirrors a near-natural habitat, an important aspect for the resident animals. This helps them stay connected to their natural skills and traits.
Enclosure management for rehabilitated animals directly corresponds to their health and welfare. Thanks to donor support, maintenance protocols by Wildlife SOS are able to continue.
Enrichments
Another important and engaging aspect for animals under care are enrichments. Our caregivers make customised enrichments for our rescued elephants, sloth bears and leopards to keep them stimulated and physically active. The animals cleverly explore hanging feeders, platforms or puzzles, complementing our intention to revive and boost their natural instincts and abilities.
Keeping in mind that no two animals have exactly the same preferences, enrichments are created with different strokes for different folks! Older animals tend to engage in food-based enrichments, which encourages them to use their senses and remain active. For Bani, the youngest elephant under our care, every version of elephant enrichment has been customised based on her smaller size. The tyre enrichment she loves may be smaller than it is for the other elephants, but she seems to enjoy it with much more enthusiasm than many of the elders. Odum, a sloth bear with stunted growth, hammocks have been sensitively lowered to match his height so he can comfortably mount and rest on them.
As leopards are known for being climbers in the wild, enrichments such as ladders and platforms are constructed and installed at various heights to keep their skills and traits alive.
Our diligent caregivers keep an eye on both structural and food-based enrichments. They are attentive about how every animal is interacting with them. It is made sure that if any wear and tear is detected, they are fixed or rebuilt stronger to counter damage. Coconut, one of our most active and eager elephant residents, has a habit of dismantling every food-based puzzle. Hence, when new enrichments are made, we first make sure they are ‘Coconut-proof’ before her neighbours get to them!
Wildlife Rescues
There are different types of rescues Wildlife SOS conducts. One being the rescues of elephants, sloth bears, leopards, brown bears and black bears under brutal captivity or conflict, in coordination with not only the forest departments but also the local communities. These animals extricated from situations of abuse and neglect require long-term medical care.
The other type of rescues that take place are concerned with the rising issue of habitat fragmentation in order to expand urban landscapes and human settlements. Animals and human beings encounter each other in unusual and unexpected scenarios, which are reported to Wildlife SOS’s Rapid Response Units. These units are located across four prominent locations within Gujarat, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, and operate for 24 hours on all seven days of a week. From birds and primates that suffer dehydration, to reptiles that have made their way into homes or other establishments, the rescue unit timely addresses these cases to help distressed animals and concerned citizens. During rescues, trained teams take the opportunity to spread awareness about the local wildlife in order to dispel fear, prevent retaliatory attacks and resolve misconceptions.
Every rescue is carried out according to a fixed protocol. Calmly assessing situations, securing the animal without causing it any stress, and conducting medical examinations to assess its health are mandatory aspects of every rescue. Sometimes, people find baby birds that have fallen out of nests, infant orphaned monkeys, or squirrel babies that have accidentally wandered into unknown spaces. The first step for the rescue team addressing these cases is to check the animals for any wounds. If the animal is gravely injured or malnourished, an appropriate treatment plan is devised. In some cases, animals that are encountered may not require any intervention. However, our helplines are always active, and we encourage people to report any unusual encounter so that both wildlife and humans remain safe.
Beyond urban rescues, Wildlife SOS also collaborates with state forest departments to mitigate conflict arising in areas that are on the cusp of forests. Local people relay information concerning animals accidentally falling into deep, open wells. Farmers report the finding of leopard cubs, all alone, in agricultural fields. Villagers witness a herd of elephants, perhaps returning to their erstwhile migration route, disrupting their settlements. Our team is actively addressing such issues. In case of open well accidents, our team of experts cautiously carry out rescues, and to prevent such incidents from happening, have launched the Open Wells Conservation Project to cover the wells while keeping it accessible for the locals. In case of lost leopard cubs, our rescue units take up the responsibility of reuniting them with their mothers, having successfully facilitated 112 reunions so far. As a means to tackle human-elephant conflict in Chattisgarh, local people have been empowered with tools and knowledge that inform them of the herd’s location well in advance.
Every initiative taken to secure people and wildlife requires on-site research, strategic thinking, and effective implementation. Each rescue is conducted using advanced equipment, set protocols and expertise. Securing funds helps us sustain procedures with discipline and values that cannot be compromised.
Funds Take Us Forward
Behind every element of Wildlife SOS’s conservation and care projects are dedicated teams that are committed to the cause. The outreach team is reaching out to forest officers, educational institutions, corporates and local communities to spread training and awareness so that conflict cases can be curbed with knowledge to promote coexistence. Rescue units are on the move to save animals in turmoil within human-occupied areas. Along with rescue and rehabilitation, we are running not one but several significant projects such as the #RefuseToRide campaign to promote ethical tourism, ‘Rewild for Wildlife’ to revive and sustain wildlife habitats, covering wells that are prone to animals accidentally falling into them, and the promise to bring an end to ‘begging’ elephants on the streets. While goals are strong and the vision to achieve them is unwavering, the key to success is making its implementation possible. This very key lies in the hands of our astounding fundraising team that is steering the wheels forward.
Wildlife SOS exists with the urgent purpose of protecting and conserving India’s rich biodiversity. In the last 30 years, the organisation has spearheaded remarkable conservation initiatives. But where we are today has been possible owing to the strong trust, alliances and confidence we have formed with those who most believe in our mission: you.
As important as conservation work is, it is also important to keep our followers and regular supporters updated about it. Through not only social media but also through specially curated reports, ensuring the donor community remains aware of the impact they have helped us create.
We are forever grateful to you for coming forward and contributing not only monetarily but also volunteering your time or simply following our ongoing projects. Aligning with us has opened many more doors to expand our view and efforts to save nature and wildlife. With your continued support, we plan to reach even further – to the animals in need of a second chance.
Even rolling a 1 helps us move forward – every little donation helps!
Feature Image: Atharva Pacharne/Wildlife SOS
