Commencement of the first Wild Animal Care Center of Chhotaudepur Forest Area near Dhanpur-Dungarwant

 Injured wild animals can be kept here under the supervision of a veterinarian

The Chhotaudepur forest area has a good proportion of wild animals including leopards and bears. A Wild Animal Care Center was needed to ensure that such wild animals could be safely treated and released back into the wild if they fell into structures such as internecine warfare, conflict with humans or otherwise injured or ill.

This requirement has been satisfied by the effective representation of Deputy Forest Conservator Nilesh Pandya in Forest Department of the State Government. Amidst the necessary protection of wildlife, the first Wild Animal Care Center has been started near Dhanpur-Dungarwant in Pavi Jetpur taluka. It has two huge enclosures and accompanying cages to keep the animals in open. At present, there is a facility to provide necessary treatment to the injured wild animals in two large enclosures of 30 by 30 meters.

 In future, the number of these fences can be increased to seven to eight and 8 to 10 wild animals can be kept for treatment.  Currently, the injured wild animals that need treatment in the area were taken to Pavagadh center.

Informing about 20 incidents related to leopards were reported in the area last year, Nilesh Pandya said, a detailed proposal was sent to the Forest Department to investigate the necessity to set up such a center in the area. 

After the approval from the state level, two huge but secure enclosures have been constructed along with two cages kept there for the purpose. The wild animals treated here will be kept in enclosures during the day and in cages at night.

A Veterinary Officer will be appointed under the deputation at this center and a guard, animal keeper will be kept for supervision as well as assistance.

He clarified that the center was not for public display or animal watching but it is for the purpose to keep the injured animal healthy.

If there are injured deer or wild boar, panther or bear, they can be kept for treatment here for 10 or 15 days or months and then released in the forest. If a wounded animal has become a cannibal it cannot be left in the wild after it has healed.

 But if such an animal has to be kept in captivity or can be given to any zoo in the country on their demand with the proper permission of the highest officials of the State Forest Department.

Such a center can be used as a mating center or animal breeding when required. However, there is no plan to use this center at Makhania. This center will help in taking good care of the wild animals living in the forests of Chhotaudepur area.