Services elusive at Lawachhara Wildlife Rescue Centre

The Wildlife Rescue Centre of Lawachhara National Park in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila hardly serves any purpose as the arrangement meant for the treatment of injured and sick wild animals is running without skilled manpower and treatment facilities for years.

Visiting the centre at Janakichhara of Lawachhara National Park recently, this correspondent saw signs of neglect all around.

In absence of any regular staff, a scout and a guard working under the forest department give additional part-time service to look after the wildlife rescue centre, the lone one of its kind in Sylhet division.

Now two fishing cats, five monkeys and three Burmese pythons are being taken care of there.

A monkey currently undergoing treatment at the centre. Photo: Mintu Deshwara

"The centre, opened on March 23 in 2015, is plagued with manpower crisis and lack of treatment facilities. A veterinary surgeon appointed here left after serving for one year and the post has remained vacant till now," Monayem Hossain, ranger of Sreemangal range office, told this correspondent.

"The two forest department employees who look after this centre as extra duty face problems when injured animals are brought here. Often such animals are taken to a nearby veterinary hospital or to the Wild Animal Services Foundation in Sreemangal. Seriously injured creatures have to be sent to Gazipur Safari Park for treatment, which is quite a long way from here," said the range officer.

"Only animals with minor injuries are treated here with the voluntary service of upazila veterinary surgeon. At least five persons including a veterinary surgeon are needed for maintenance of the centre. On several occasions, we informed the higher authorities about the situation," he said.

Jabed Bhuiyan, joint convener of Lawachhara Bon O Jibaboichitra Rokkha Andolon, told this correspondent, "Sometimes animals from Lawachhara National Park go to the nearby locality in search of food. A section of unscrupulous villagers trap and beat the helpless creatures, causing injuries to them."

"After rescue, these wild animals are often released to the forest without any treatment. Earlier some of the injured animals died in the forest. It is necessary to arrange adequate manpower and treatment facilities at the rescue centre in Lawachhara," he said.

Dr Md Rurul Amin, veterinary surgeon of Sreemangal upazila, he often serves at Lawachhara Wildlife Rescue Centre although it is not within his duty list.

He urged immediate appointment of required manpower including a veterinary surgeon at the centre.

Wildlife lover Saju Marchiang, also a resident of Lawachhara area, made the same demand.

ANM Abdul Wadud, divisional forest officer of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Sylhet, told this correspondent, he has written to the higher authorities for appointment of manpower at the wildlife rescue centre, the lone one in Sylhet division.