Forest department to seek govt for separate cadre of wildlife vets

Bengaluru: In the wake of the queries over the lack of veterinary doctors leading to a crisis in wildlife management, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has directed senior officials to submit a proposal to the Finance Department to raise a separate cadre of wildlife veterinarians.

DH on Thursday highlighted the Forest Department's failure to take up a detailed proposal submitted a decade ago to raise a cadre of specialised veterinarians. The department has been depending on the outsourced doctors who lack specialisation in treating wildlife and who can't be held accountable for their action.

"In the Sakrebailu elephant camp. four elephants have been suffering from diseases. It was painful to hear that elephant Balanna's ear had to be amputated due to an infection. In addition, elephants and tigers are entering human habitats and there is a shortage of veterinarians who can dart them," Khandre said.

In the case of Balanna, two veterinarians had treated the pachyderm for a leg injury. However, their lack of expertise had led to an infection during intravenous administration of medicine in the ear. A veterinarian described the botched operation as a horrifying ignorance in the simple understanding of the elephant's skin characteristics.

"A separate cadre of wildlife veterinarians needs to be appointed. Take steps to submit to the Finance Department a proposal along with a clear framework for appointing such a cadre," the direction to the Additional Chief Secretary said.