26th September 2019, Keonjhar, Odisha : Earlier in July, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) signed a Letter of Agreement with the Keonjhar Forest Division, Odisha to establish and operate a Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) unit in Keonjhar, to attend to wildlife emergencies originating from the region.
After establishing a successful model of MVS and rescue-rehabilitation of displaced wildlife in Assam, WTI was approached by the then Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) and Field Director Similipal Tiger Reserve to establish and operate an MVS unit to attend to wildlife emergencies reported from Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR). Through the financial support of the Similipal Tiger Conservation Foundation (STCF) the first MVS for Odisha was established in May 2015. Since its inception the unit has assisted the forest department in handling over 150 cases of wildlife emergencies. In addition to directly responding to such emergencies, the MVS unit also assisted the forest department in capacity building of frontline teams to constitute divisional level rescue teams.
Seeing the success of the above model, the Division Forest Officer, Keonjhar Forest Division, Mr. Santosh Joshi, approached WTI to setup another MVS unit in Keonjhar and also help them in formation and training of range level rescue teams. The frontline staff were already involved in rescue and conflict animal management and the DFO feeling that their capacity should be built, requested WTI to collaborate.
Before the actual commencement of the MVS operations in Keonjhar, it was decided that WTI will conduct a series of training programs for the range level forest department staff in a manner to constitute a primary level rescue team. To further discuss the modalities of the training and to draw up a training calendar, an inception meeting of all stakeholders was held in July. Following that an exposure visit of the Keonjhar Rescue team members to Similipal Tiger Reserve was also organized. Twenty-five rescue team members were taken to Jashipur, Similipal Tiger Reserve, where they interacted with the Divisional Level rescue teams of MVS-Similipal, the latter giving a basic overview of the training they went through and how it has helped them.
The second training of the MVS Keonjhar: Rescue team was organised between 27th and 28th of August 2019 in Keonjhar itself. The topics covered during the training were: Basics of Human-wildlife conflict; Basics of first aid to injured animals; Conflict animal Management; Principles of chemical capture of wildlife and demonstration of tranquillising equipment; and transportation of animals. The 20 members of the rescue team from different ranges of the division participated in the training. On the second day the team participated in a field operation where two elephants were trapped in a thin patch of forest between two villages under Ghatgaon range of Keonjhar division. During the operation the team assisted the local staff and learned about the effective crowd management, Aerial surveillance and giving safe passage to the animals. Dr. Bandeeta Mishra (Assistant Veterinary Surgeon, MVS Similipal) and Mr. Rudra Mahapatra, State facilitator, Odisha were the resource persons for both the exposure training as well the second field level training.
The third training of MVS Keonjhar was organised between 23rd and 24th of September in Keonjhar at the eco-tourism complex, Anjar. The topics covered during the training are Care of animals in captivity (Orphan and adult), Basics of wildlife health investigation (Ante-mortem), Basics of wildlife health investigation (Post-mortem), Basics of snake identification and snake-bite management, Rope rescue techniques. The second day of the training was devoted to field exercise, practicing rope rescue techniques and planning different types of situation where this technique will be useful. Post lunch the participants were taken to Khuntakata village under BJP range of Keonjhar division for a village level consultation to interact with the villagers to find out a solution to the problems the villagers facing.
Dr. Bandeeta Mishra (Assistant Veterinary Surgeon, MVS Similipal) and Mr. Rudra Mahapatra, State facilitator, Odisha were the resource persons.
