The rescue teams across the country geared up for a new month with a clear objective in mind: saving wild animals that need help. Distress calls reached all four bases of our operation, as the emergency hotlines got busy and ringing. From completing a rescue at the house of the national security advisor to a snake surprising workers at an electrical and engineering building company in the northern part of the country, the month was filled with various successful rescue stories.
One of the teams also conducted awareness sessions to empower citizens as well as government representatives with vital knowledge about wildlife. By diving deeper into how each month is laid out, we ensure that the rescue team’s efforts do not go unnoticed.
Delhi-NCR
The Delhi rescue team had quite an eventful month with a few high-profile location rescues. A dramatic rescue unfolded at the residence of India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, when an injured black kite was found in the security control room. Seeing the bird in distress, the security personnel swiftly contacted the Wildlife SOS 24×7 emergency helpline to ensure the bird received immediate care.
The kite was discovered collapsed on the floor, unable to take flight due to visible injuries on the wing. The security staff, demonstrating quick thinking and compassion, carefully placed the wounded bird in a secure box to prevent further harm. Upon arrival, our team assessed the kite’s condition and safely transported the bird to a transit facility for medical treatment.
Following a veterinary examination, the bird was treated for wing injuries and placed under observation to monitor recovery. After receiving the necessary care and nutritional support, the black kite regained strength. Once deemed fit for release, the majestic raptor soared back into the skies, marking a successful rescue effort.
Another rescue took place at the under-construction residence of the Prime Minister, located behind Rashtrapati Bhavan, when a staff member discovered a distressed rhesus macaque monkey lying motionless on the floor. Upon receiving the call, our team responded quickly and successfully rescued the primate.
The ailing macaque was then transported to the Wildlife SOS transit facility for urgent medical care and observation. Upon examination, the monkey was found to be old, weakened and lethargic, requiring immediate veterinary intervention. Our vets began treatment, providing essential medication and nutritional support to aid recovery. Upon regaining sufficient strength, the macaque was released back into the wild.
Showcasing swift response in one of the rescue operations, our team came to the aid of an Asian palm civet from Sultanpur Farms in Delhi’s Chhatarpur. The incident took place after the civet fell inside a soak pit while attempting to escape from a farmhouse. The civet, unable to climb out of the pit, was rescued by the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit.
Upon examination, the civet was found to have sustained minor injuries and was provided with treatment and nutrition for its recovery. After receiving the all-clear from the veterinary team, the civet was safely released back into a nearby natural environment. In total, the Delhi team rescued 24 mammals, 17 reptiles and 92 birds in March, taking the tally to 133.
Agra
Agra witnessed rescues of a few less common animals in March, including a Bengal monitor lizard (after a long time), a sarus crane and a knob-billed duck. During one instance, two rat snakes were rescued from inside the Air Force Station in Agra. Passersby had spotted two Indian rat snakes stuck on the window sill of an old building inside the premises. While our rescue team was informed, a small crowd gathered to witness the operation.
The local people waited patiently for our expert rescuer to carefully extricate the nearly 5-foot-long snakes. The crowd’s sensibility in letting professional snake handlers to address the situation is a significant marker of our efforts over two decades in carrying out rescue and awareness operations.
Bird rescues were the least with 17 avians tended to in the month. Among these, peafowls dominated the numbers. The mammal rescue number stood at 24, so did the total for reptiles. The team rescued 10 common wolf snakes, which was the highest in March among reptiles. Other reptile species saved included the Indian rat snake, spectacled cobra, Indian rock python, checkered keelback and red sand boa. By extending timely support to wildlife in distress, our Rapid Response Unit in Agra rescued 65 animals in March.
Vadodara
The team in Vadodara were not just busy rescuing, but also arming people with knowledge about wildlife conservation. The team conducted awareness programmes with the Rotary Club of Vadodara and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). While the former covered a general session on the work of the organisation, the one with NDRF covered prominent issues such as knowledge about various wild animal species and how to approach them amidst a natural disaster such as a flood.
They were taught the basics of identifying between venomous and non-venomous snakes. As for the session with the Rotary Club, the audience was informed about the various types of rescue operations conducted by the Rapid Response Unit across the city. Coming to the rescues, the animal group receiving the most help from our team were birds, followed by snakes. While pigeons comprised the majority of the bird rescues, it also included peafowls, parakeets, and raptors such as owls and kites.
March saw the rescue of venomous snake species such as the spectacled cobra and the Russell’s viper, while non-venomous snakes included the Indian rat snake, banded kukri, common trinket and checkered keelback, to name a few. As the season shifts to summer, snakes in the upcoming months will come out of brumation and will look for shaded places to get away from the sweltering heat. This will gradually cause an increasing number of rescue calls in the city from April. But for this month, our team rescued five venomous and 15 non-venomous snakes, taking the reptile tally to 20. With 43 birds and 20 mammals, the rescue team in Vadodara saved 83 lives in March.
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)
In Kashmir, March remained very cold, which did not encourage snakes to come out. However, one odd sunny day saw the year’s first snake rescue for the J&K Rapid Response Unit. It was an Indian rat snake, spotted in Awantipora inside the inventory storage space of an electrical and engineering building company. The snake was underneath a pile of large metal rods when the staff working there was trying to move them.
After a thorough assessment, the snake was found to be in a healthy condition, measuring nearly 6 feet long and weighing over a kilogram. Following an approval from the veterinary team, the snake was released in a nearby natural habitat.
Barn owls are raptors that are mostly nocturnal and hardly active during the day. But when they are active during the daytime in this geographical region, they often enter into fights with black kites. Secondly, barn owls being birds of prey, depend on rodents; but during winters, the availability of rodents is scarce and therefore their direct food source is affected.
These are two primary reasons why our team receives more bird rescue cases during the winter months, as opposed to snake cases. One such incident was of a barn owl found with an injured wing. After being informed by a local youth, the team travelled to Naogam on the outskirts of Srinagar to rescue the wounded raptor. It was discovered that the owl sustained an injury on the left wing. The bird is currently under our observation and undergoing treatment. With three more black kites rescued, five animals were saved in Jammu & Kashmir which rounded off the month of March.
Every month, Wildlife SOS receives hundreds of calls regarding distressed animals trapped in urban areas. Wildlife SOS operates 24×7 emergency rescue helplines in four regions:
Delhi NCR – +91-9871963535
Agra & Mathura in Uttar Pradesh – +91-9917109666
Vadodara, Gujarat – +91-9825011117
Jammu & Kashmir – +91-7006692300, +91-9419778280
If you come across any wild animal in distress, alert our rescue teams on these numbers as soon as possible.
