Wildlife at zoo,National Park cries for specialist vets

The zoo vet,Dr K N Kshirsagar,is a bachelor of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry from the Bombay Veterinary College. SGNP’s Dr Vinaya Jangale is a post graduate in animal gynaecology.

Kshirsagar was transferred to the zoo from the Deonar abattoir in late 2008,and Jangale’s last profile involved testing dairy products in the state’s Quality Control Laboratory in Goregaon.

Today,Jangale’s job includes looking after several endangered wildlife species of SGNP like captive leopards and tigers and running the unique breeding programme for rare Rusty-spotted Cats.

Today,the city’s only indigenous big cat,the leopard,is facing extinction. Also,the living condition of animals in the Byculla zoo has been an eyesore for city environmentalists. The zoo was in news recently for the death of a young hippopotamus due to an untimely “respiratory failure”.

Identifying the need for doctors with a background in wildlife to handle wildlife issues across the country,the Nagpur-based Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (MAFSU) recently announced its plan to start a post-graduation diploma course in wildlife healthcare and management. The MAFSU is a state body that recognises all the major veterinary colleges across the state,including Mumbai’s Bombay Veterinary College in Parel.

According to Dr S G Narayankhedkar,dean,veterinary faculty and director of instruction of MAFSU,“The wildlife territory has been neglected by Central as well as state governments. The PG course is specially designed for veterinarians like the Byculla zoo doctor who take decisions on the care of wild animals on a day-to-day basis,but have no expertise in the field. As a result,wildlife suffers. With population of many animals like the tiger,panther,lion,crocodiles and tortoises dwindling across the nation,wildlife doctors seem to a prime need.

State secretary of environment and forest J P Dange,when asked if the city vets would be invited to take up the course,said,“We haven’t decided on offering doctors the course yet. We will have to consult the animal husbandry department on this,” he said.

Meanwhile,doctors gallantly hold on to their posts and confess they are trying their best to cope with their profiles. Jangale said,“I am learning on the job. Besides,the wildlife training I received from the CZA before I took my position at SGNP as a wildlife vet has come in handy.” Kshirsagar added,“Yes,I don’t have any experience in wildlife management. The junior vet in the zoo has a specialisation in wildlife. He helps me with most of my assignments in the zoo.” The junior vet,Dr Sanjay Tripathi,is a veterinary major with wildlife anaesthesia as his research subject.

Asked if he’d like to do a post graduation in wildlife,the zoo doctor said, “I’d love to if my bosses wants me to. But I can’t take the decision on my own. I can only follow orders.”