2024 has been an extraordinary year for Wildlife SOS, marked by milestones in conservation and unwavering dedication to our mission. As the year draws to a close, let us reflect on some of the defining moments that shaped our efforts to protect and preserve wildlife.
Rescues and Relocations
The year began on a poignant yet hopeful note with the rescue of Baby Bani. This little calf joined the Wildlife SOS family after a tragic train collision left her paralysed, unable to stand. Found suffering from significant injuries to her spine, hips, and legs, Bani’s condition was critical. Immediate care and tireless medical efforts at the Elephant Hospital Centre (EHC) in Mathura enabled Bani to make miraculous progress. While she still drags her hind legs, she can now stand and walk for almost 20 hours with minimal assistance — a testament to her resilience and the unwavering care she receives. Bani is the first baby elephant we have rescued and provided care to — her story of survival continues to inspire us all.
The year had Wildlife SOS executing several daring rescue operations. A 45-year-old tusker was relocated safely from the Nagina Forest in Uttar Pradesh, averting further conflict after he wandered too close to human settlements. In Maharashtra, our team intervened to save two leopards from life-threatening situations — one was rescued from an MSEB substation and another critically injured on the Pune-Nashik Highway.
Two successful reunions of leopard cubs with their mothers during the sugarcane harvest season in May created a milestone for Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra Forest Department. By International Leopard Day 2024, the teams had successfully completed a total of 110 leopard reunions! Each operation conducted kept a single goal in mind — the survival of the cubs — and the effort to protect leopards is ongoing.
Gentle care was given by our Maharashtra Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC) team to four rescued jungle cat kittens found at Otur Forest Range, after attempts at reuniting them with their mother yielded no results. When the young jungle cats gained sufficient strength, a soft release operation was devised and carefully carried out to reintroduce them to their wild habitat.
Notable Visits to the Centres
The year also saw several iconic visitors stepping into our rescue and rehabilitation centres to amplify the message of wildlife protection. In February, US Ambassador to India, Eric Michael Garcetti, visited Wildlife SOS’s Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) and Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) with his family, where they were introduced to elephants and sloth bears rescued from distress. While observing medical treatments and training sessions, our esteemed visitor expressed his support for the ‘Refuse to Ride’ campaign, and lauded Wildlife SOS’s efforts to ensure freedom and respect for all animals.
April 2024 had Indian actress Adah Sharma visit ABRF and ECCC and the Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC) in Uttar Pradesh. As a passionate animal lover, she was immensely moved by the stories of rescued elephants and bears that she had a chance to watch at the centres, and urged her fans and followers to support wildlife conservation. American interior designer and TV personality Bobby Berk followed suit during his one-day visit to ECCC, and showed his admiration for our work. In May, Divya Seth Shah, famous Indian TV and film actress, visited the elephant centres where she witnessed first-hand care being given to the rescued pachyderms.
Bringing a global perspective was Miss World Ecuador, Sandra Alvarado, who graced ECCC and ABRF with her presence in March this year. Having learnt about the rescued animals, Sandra lauded our cause and expressed the urgent need for wildlife conservation.
Another influential visit was made in September this year when Miss Universe Great Britain 2024 Christina Chalk and Miss Wales 2023 Millie Adams arrived at ECCC along with the finalists in the Miss Universe Great Britain pageant: Harriotte Lane, Megan Robinson, Tiny Simbani, and Stephanie Allen. The visiting group appreciated our efforts towards the welfare of elephants under our care. Adding to the significance of September’s Elephant Appreciation Day celebrations, Indian actor Karn Mehta on September 22 visited ECCC and ABRF, engaging deeply with Wildlife SOS’s care and conservation efforts.
The year concluded on a joyous note with the arrival of Indian actor Ashmit Patel as our Secret Santa at ECCC. During his visit, he learned about the challenges faced by rescued elephants and applauded the team’s dedication to their care and rehabilitation. His presence added warmth to the festive season, and he eagerly participated in creating fruit feasts for the pachyderms with the Wildlife SOS team. The actor also made a stop at ABRF to learn about our efforts in saving ‘dancing’ bears and putting a stop to this practice.
Awareness Fueling Conservation Efforts
Engaging the future generation was a key focus in 2024, starting in January with the workshop ‘Empowering Young Minds For A Greener Future’ in Karnataka, which enlightened attendees about wildlife and environmental issues and ways to resolve it. Our campaign to protect elephants from train collisions gained momentum with the petition inspired by Bani’s story and a webinar that took place on Save the Elephant Day (April 16) titled ‘Bani: Small Trunk, Big Heart’.
On August 12, World Elephant Day, the Wildlife SOS team stepped out into the hotspots of Delhi to raise awareness through quizzes, discussions on elephant myths, and thought-provoking conversations. The team engaged numerous people through fun and interactive sessions, spreading awareness about the threats faced by elephants. Wildlife SOS also promoted human-wildlife coexistence through outreach and training programmes.
For World Environment Day on June 5, 2024, events organised included nature walks in Jammu & Kashmir, leopard coexistence training in Karnataka, and a cleanliness drive at Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Agra. Awareness talks in Mathura emphasised the impact of climate change, while training programmes in Maharashtra and Chandigarh equipped forest officials with skills to manage wildlife interactions and rescues.
In the first week of October, Wildlife SOS celebrated 70 years of Wildlife Week, which kicked off with an engaging session on snakes at Gargi College in Delhi, dispelling myths and educating participants about urban wildlife. The week unfolded with tree plantations at Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir, interactive educational tours at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC) in Maharashtra, and volunteering activities with students at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) in Karnataka. Events like clean-up drives and drawing competitions inspired community participation across regions. The week concluded with the ‘Human-Wildlife Coexistence’ webinar hosted by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, where Wildlife SOS highlighted innovative models for resolving conflicts and fostering coexistence.
Celebrations with Milestones
At Wildlife SOS, every milestone is celebrated like a festival — a joyful reminder of life, freedom, and second chances. This year was no exception, as we celebrated rescueversaries and festivals with our beloved animals.
The last day of March marked Easter, and brought a burst of creativity as the teams crafted watermelon bunnies for the rescued animals to devour! September 22 is Elephant Appreciation Day and like last year, the ‘Ele Earth Walk’ held in 2024 brought in participants from across the world to advocate against elephant riding and raise funds for rescued elephants. At ECCC on this day, resident elephants like Emma, Maya, Phoolkali, Chanchal, Bijli, Laxmi, Sanjay, and Suraj gorged on a grand fruit feast of watermelons, sugarcane, bananas, and pumpkins.
October brought in Halloween-themed enrichments for the leopards, sloth bears, and elephants under our care. These were creatively designed by our caregivers to add ‘spooky’ fun while they engaged with these delicious delights!
Several milestone rescueversaries were celebrated in cheerful spirits with our rescued animals: Odum marked his 15th year under our care, elephants Kalpana and Ramu and leopard siblings George and Natalie had their 5th rescue anniversaries, and Raju’s 10th year of freedom from neglect was rejoiced by all.
December brings in Christmas celebrations with festive cheer and special holiday treats for the animals at our centres! The caregivers at these centres, dressed as Santa Claus, lovingly prepared and wrapped gifts in boxes that contained tempting edible delights. These colourful gifts were then presented to the rescued leopards at MLRC, sloth bears at ABRF, and to the elephants at ECCC and EHC. The animals were eager to unwrap these with utmost curiosity and joy! The teams beautifully decorated the centres with Christmas ornaments as well.
Awards and Recognition
Wildlife SOS shone brightly on global platforms in 2024! Wildlife SOS’s Co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan was honoured with the prestigious Winsome Constance Kindness Medal for his relentless efforts in wildlife conservation.
This year also saw the premiere of our first-ever short film, My Sweet Paro, which has received high appreciation. The documentary beautifully captured the heartwarming bond between Suzy, who had been our oldest rescued elephant, and her caregiver Baburam, who lovingly called her Paro. Filmed on Suzy’s journey of 9 years, it celebrates love, trust, and healing. The documentary also made its way to the ‘Honourable Mention – Humans and Nature Category’ at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival 2024. My Sweet Paro earned the Best Editing Award at the 13th Delhi Shorts International Film Festival and has been officially selected for the Chicago Filmmaker Awards 2025. The list doesn’t end there: My Sweet Paro has also been shortlisted as a semi-finalist at the Berlin Shorts Awards 2025.
On the digital front, our YouTube channel crossed over 500K subscribers this year, and Instagram followers soared past 150K, spreading awareness far and wide.
Events shaping Collaboration
Founders’ Trip 2024 took place in February and brought together global supporters for an unforgettable experience. Guided by our co-founders, participants were apprised about the organisation’s diverse projects. The visiting group volunteered at our bear and elephant centres in Agra and Mathura, and also had a chance to explore India’s vibrant wildlife landscapes.
Collaborations with experts and stakeholders remain key to advancing our mission. In November, the Bear SAFE team from the United States, comprising animal keepers, veterinarians, and researchers, visited BBRC, sharing innovative ideas for bear care and introducing stress-free handling techniques for medical procedures. This exchange of expertise strengthened our care protocols and highlighted the value of global partnerships.
In Bangalore, CSR activities by organisations like JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), Atlassian, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), and Northern Trust made a tangible impact during their visit to BBRC where they learned about sloth bears, the threats they face, and their care. Corporate volunteers joined clean-up drives, planted trees, assisted with animal enrichments, and helped with daily tasks at our centres during their visits, strengthening their connection to conservation.
Rapid Response Units to the Rescue
Our Rapid Response Units across Delhi-NCR, Vadodara (Gujarat), Agra and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), and Jammu & Kashmir work round-the-clock to help the animals in need. As of November 2024, the dedicated team orchestrated a whopping number of 4,848 animal rescues that included mammals, reptiles, and birds.
One of the most significant rescues of the year involved a remarkable 13-foot-long, 55 kg Indian rock python from a deep well in Kiraoli, Agra. This was the heaviest python our professional rescue team has ever rescued! The challenging operation required a creative plan to safely rescue the mighty python.
Another major highlight for the Rapid Response Unit in Uttar Pradesh was the rescue of 25 newly hatched Indian rock pythons from an unused tubewell in Pali Gokulpura village, Etawah, in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and Wildlife SOS.
Wildlife SOS rescue team in Delhi, along with the Delhi Forest Department, came to the rescue of over 700 birds crammed in tiny wire cages in Old Delhi’s Jama Masjid area. The birds, including rose-ringed parakeets, alexandrine parakeets, plum-headed parakeets, black-headed munias, and scaly-breasted munias, were rescued during a raid and after addressing medical needs, were safely released into a suitable habitat.
In a strategic operation near the Gujarat-Maharashtra border, Wildlife SOS and Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA), with support from the Nashik DFO, recovered four pairs of monitor lizard genitals after a team member posed as a dummy customer to expose the culprit. The penises of monitor lizards poached were extracted to be sold as Hatha Jodi, a rare plant root used in rituals believed to bring good luck.
As we step into 2025, we are thrilled to announce that Wildlife SOS will be celebrating its 30th anniversary! The last three decades were filled with challenges, but we also learnt how to confront many of them. These years gave us abundant opportunities to gather knowledge, celebrate triumphs, and create memories, even if they were bittersweet. Our resolute journey so far has strengthened our motivation to continue our work and efforts to protect our planet’s voiceless cohabitants. As we venture into a new year, our aim to make an even greater impact on wildlife conservation stands strong.
