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| Photo: Himalayan serow by Tashi Dendup |
On the day of 14th April 2017;
the wildlife rescue team of Wangdue Forest Division successfully rescued and released
Himalayan serow back to the forest on the day it was rescued. The office does wildlife
rescue and release work, but rescuing such species was first time in the
history of the Division. As per the Grubb, 2005, this species is known to occur
in east and southeast Bangladesh, Himalayas (Bhutan, northern India including
Sikkim and Nepal), Tibet, northeast India (provinces east of Bangladesh), and
probably into western Myanmar. The Himalayan serow is widespread but sparsely
distributed throughout the forested southern slopes of the Himalaya in northern
India, from Jammu and Kashmir to the Mishmi hills in Arunachal Pradesh, and in
the hill states of northeastern India (Prater 1971). Himalayan serow is known
to be locally present between 300 and 3,000 m as in all Himalayan states (Green
1987b), and is found extensively in the Sutlej and Beas River catchments
(Himachal Pradesh) (Pandey, 2002). And, almost nothing is known of its
distribution in Bhutan, other than it can exist in subtropical and temperate zones,
and has been recorded in Royal Manas and Black Mountain National Parks (NCS,
1995).
In
Wangdue, Himalayan serow is found along the ridge of biological corridor2,
where a major problem is poaching and attack by feral dogs. In these areas,
they are distributed in chirpine and mixed broadleaved forest between
elevations of 900 to 1800 meters above sea level. Since
its inception this office has given shelter to 100’s of wild animals. Many of
these wild animals are rehabilitated in the temporary barracked shed and
released back to the forest. Those that cannot be released are provided with
shelter for the rest of their lives. All the animals within the center have
been rescued from poor living conditions, where they may have been victims of
road traffic accidents, dog attacks or other human caused accidents, juveniles having lost their mother as a
result of habitat fragmentation, or to prey or poachers. Thus, the juvenile wildlife requires special
care, shed and feeding that is beyond what the average household is prepared
and able to manage.
The Division also
believes there is always a humane answer to any wildlife issue since
the needs of the animals are much the same as our own as we need healthy food,
clean water, and a safe place to live. Thus, the rescuing and bringing to new
home is one answer that we the conservationist can deliver to those victims. Each year, the Wangdue Forest Division
rescues and rehabilitates more than 20 wildlife species. The species of animals
rescued ranges from large animals such as Sambar deer, Clouded leopard, Barking
deer, Wild boar, Himalayan Black Bear, Goral, Monkey, to small animals,
including hawks, owls, small birds, and migratory birds, and more. Above all,
the Sambar deer and Himalayan Black Bear is the most common wildlife rescued
every year as per the record. Bhutan has rich biological diversity;
however, human pressures such as over exploitation, habitat loss and habitat
degradation, are pushing many of the wildlife to the brink of extinction. Despite the stern legislation in place
the problem still persists as it tops the list of threats to the country’s
faunal diversity. A loss of species is real conservation disaster, regardless of whether
it is caused by natural forces or human activity.
By; Tashi Dendup
Web Administrator
