Dr. Ashraf NVK and Dr. Anand Ramanathan

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Wildlife Rehabilitation as a welfare
conservation measure for dealing with wildlife
orphans

• Dr. Ashraf NVK and Dr. Anand Ramanathan
• Emergency Relief Manager - Wildlife
• ranand_at_ifaw.org

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What is animal welfare?
Since animals have fundamental behavioral needs
that they must be allowed to satisfy for humane
reasons
Animal Welfare therefore comprises the state
of the animal's body and mind, and the extent to
which the animals nature is satisfied
Thus it includes not only the state of the
animal's body, but also its feelings. Feeling of
being able to satisfy its very nature.
Source
What is animal welfare? Common definitions and
their practical consequences Caroline J. Hewson
Can Vet J. 2003 June 44(6) 496499.
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Definition
Wildlife Rehabilitation

• Process of restoring a wild animal to its
  natural habitat after a prolonged stay in
  captivity

• Treatment and temporary care of injured,
  orphaned and misplaced indigenous wildlife and
  the subsequent replacement of those cases back
  into the natural environment

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Case for wildlife rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation is a wildlife management practice
• Rehabilitation can contribute to endangered
  species survival eg. rhinos, gibbons
• Rehabilitation a response to public opinion
  and ethics eg. elephants, bears
• Rehabilitation an optimal approach to address
  the welfare of displaced wildlife
• Rehabilitation creates public awareness
• Rehabilitation as an educational and scientific
  exercise

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Reasons for apathy towards wildlife
rehabilitation

• Lack of data to evaluate effectiveness of
  rehabilitation
• Most rehab centres consider release as the only
  parameter to judge rehab success
• Temporary displaced wildlife are not be
  monitored post-release, but..
• Rehabilitation of hand-raised wildlife orphans
  should demonstrate post-release survival
• Public perception of dangers from rehabbed
  animals esp. in areas of conflict

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Emerging problemsRescued Confiscated animals

• Instances of displaced wildlife coming into
  captive care on the rise eg. elephant calves,
  bear cubs, primates etc.
• Confiscation of live animals from trade is also
  on the rise (e.g. star tortoises, parakeets)
• Compounding problem
• Shrinking habitat
• Encroachment narrowing down choice of release site

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IUCN guidelines for the placement of confiscated
animals
The purpose of disposition of confiscated animals
To maximize conservation value of the
specimen To discourage further illegal trade
To provide humane solutions to the animal
Management options available
Maintain them in captivity Returning them to
wild Euthanasia
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IUCN guidelines for Reintroduction

• Suitability of release stock
• Choice of release stock
• Selection of appropriate release site

Word of caution Reintroduction guidelines are
not Rehabilitation guidelines. Principles are
the same, but the process is different
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Elephant reintegration project Doimari, Manas
National Park
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STATE OF ASSAM
Elephant RhinoRehab Stations in Manas NP
Mathanguri
Doimari
Kokilabari
Bansbari
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Reasons for displacement of elephant calves
42 (n33) cases in tea garden from July 2000
till Feb 2008
Ditches
Predation
Left by herd
Snare
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Opportunities to rehabilitate an elephant
1st attempt
To reunite the calves with natal herd at the site
of rescue itself
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Opportunities to rehabilitate an elephant
2nd attempt
Reuniting or releasing after stabilization or
treatment for injuries
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Opportunities to rehabilitate an elephant
3rd attempt
Reintegrating into wild herds after hand-raising
and acclimatization
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Nursing and critical care

• 42 (n33) mortality at cwrc
• Challenge in settling down to an appropriate
  milk formula

• Stabilized on arrival
• Once stabilized, subsequently fed in the forest
  itself

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Elephant calves moved to Manas in 2007
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In situ acclimatization
Soft- release enclosure Elephants allowed to
explore within an area of 2 sq. km in Feb-
March Habitat acclimalization increased to 6 sq.
km based on vegetation diversity by April
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Beginning of independence at Manas NP

• Gradual independence from last week of April
• Food provisioning stopped 35 days after soft
  release (April)
• Ele calves formed two distinct groups of three
  each (July)

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Behavioral changes observed

• Within 3 4 months, fewer instances of elephants
  returning to their soft release enclosure

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Monitoring and Data collection

Tourist
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Sighting records of I group of three elephants
D
T
D
S
R
K
Ka
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Sighting records of II group
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Social behavioral observations
Family unit of 6 was not persistent Initially
two groups and later three Absence of
socialization between two groups when they met
(twice) Behavioral data collection ongoing
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Rehabilitation of greater one-horned rhinoceros
in Manas NP, India
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Causes of displacement
Rhino Mostly due to failed predator attack and
washed away during floods
Total cases handled 13 Injury (predation)
03 Injury (cause unknown) 02 Swept away by
flood 04 Orphan (mother killed) 01 Unknown
(found alone) 02 Other reasons 01
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Rhino rehabilitation protocol
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Relocation to Release site
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First rhino is now an adult and about 5 years of
age (Relocated in Feb 2006)
Second and third are about 3 and half years
old (Relocated in Jan 2007)

• Fourth rhino 16 months old(Relocated in Feb 2008)

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Life in the boma

• Minimum two years of acclimatization
• Allowed to become sub-adults and gain body size
  so that predation could be avoided
• Wild to Wild translocations were pursued as
  well by another org.

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Release

• Third week of August 2008

• Increase in number of security camps
• Increased forest patrols..

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Any questions?
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Rehabilitation of gibbonsThe hoolock
(Bunopithecus hoolock)
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IUCN Guidelines for Non-human Primate
Reintroduction

• Assessment of proposed release site
• Review of sociological and behavioural data
• Assess the suitability of the release stock
• Evaluate the genetic diversity of the release
  stock
• Ensure clearance from a veterinary team
• Ensure post-release monitoring in place

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The captive female

• Arrival at CWRC, Assam at 8 months.
• Confiscated from a temple priest who kept the
  gibbon as a pet
• Held at centre for more than 4 years till sexual
  maturity
• Screened for tuberculosis, Herpes and Hepatitis
  (A and B)

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The wild male

• Hoolock gibbons lives in social groups of 2-6,
  mostly in pairs
• A solitary male without a mate was
  identified, not very far from rehab centre
• Thus the site was chosen

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Installation of an in-situ habituation Enclosure
within the home range of the wild male
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Relocation and habituation

• Habituation with the wild male for more than
  three months
• Opportunity to develop natural behaviors
  (dueting, grooming)
• Acclimatization to fruits and leaves collected
  from the forest

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Monitoring after release

• Being monitored for the past three months
• Female sharing the home-range of the male
• She is the dominant partner, as is the case with
  hoolocks

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Acknowledgements Thanks
Central Zoo Authority MOEF, Govt. of India Assam
State forest dept. Bodoland Territotail
Council Arunachal Pradesh forest dept. Project
Team Animal Keepers, Rathin, Anjan, Bhaskar,
Boro, Kadambari Vivek Thanks to Aashraf, Kati
Kami for the presentation
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Any questions?