NOTES FROM THE FIELD: Delhi Rescues!
March 29, 2018 | By wildlife@dmin
February was a standard month in terms of calls that were received on our 24-hour helpline. There were 96 calls that were received out of which 81 rescues were made. In total, there were 33 birds rescued, along with 21 reptiles and 27 mammals. The most common calls received this month were for pigeons, wolf snakes, cobras, and monkeys.
The weather was definitely a factor that had an impact on the number of calls received. Since the temperatures were on the milder side, there were a lesser number of animals that had their health affected. During the hotter summer months there are a larger amount of calls received concerning dehydrated or exhausted wildlife. As the temperatures continue to rise, we are expecting a higher number of calls to hit our helpline.
As usual, there is never a shortage of calls concerning animals getting trapped in wells or unused pools and fountains. On the 20th, our team received word that a snake had fallen in to a man-made well at a construction site. Initially, the caller was going to clean the well and fill it with water, but on closer examination he found that there was a snake trapped there. Once the snake was rescued, the wildlife veterinarian officer examined its health in order to determine whether it was fit for release.
Due to the fact that these incidents are extremely common, more should be done in order to place regulations on the state of open wells and pools.
A few days later, our team was called in order to rescue an Asian Palm Civet from Shining Star International School, located in Gurgaon. The caller explained that he had discovered the animal sitting inside of a storage room while he was in the process of retrieving some items. Human encroachment on wildlife habitat and deforestation are factor that often cause wild animals and humans to repeatedly encounter each other. Land management needs to be addressed so that these interactions can be kept at a minimum.
At the end of the month, a visit was made to the Prime Minister's house for a pigeon. One of the groundskeepers had found the bird, which had an injured wing, within the premises. The Wildlife SOS team reached the location to retrieve the bird so that it could get proper treatment before its release.
In the same day the team rushed to a call of a female Rhesus Macaque that was stuck in an 80 foot-tall tree, after being tangled up in a telephone wire. It was estimated that the animal had already been hanging there for almost 72 hours before any notification was received. An aerial ladder, supplied by the fire safety department, was utilized in order to safely reach the primate. The rescue was successful and the macaque was able to receive the care it needed in order to recover from the stressful ordeal.
These occurrences continue every day in the Delhi region, which is why our rescue helpline is accessible 24-hours. Our team wants to make sure that all incidents are able to be addressed so that we may continue to coexist with animals within our midst. Please be sure to call our helpline for Delhi NCT (+91-9871963535) if you witness any distressed, fatigued, or injured animals!
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