Karnataka forest department still without wildlife vets, raises conservation concerns: Report
Bengaluru: More than a decade after Karnataka’s Forest Department first proposed appointing dedicated wildlife veterinarians, the department is still without any, hindering conservation efforts and wildlife health management.
Home to India’s largest elephant population and the second highest number of tigers, Karnataka lacks specialised doctors who play a crucial role in rescuing injured animals, monitoring wildlife health, and collecting forensic evidence in poaching and other wildlife crime cases, as reported by Deccan Herald.
The absence of wildlife vets was first flagged over ten years ago after a spate of elephants, gaurs, leopards, and sloth bears deaths.
In response, the Forest Department drafted a vision document outlining a two-phase plan. The first phase reportedly focused on building disease surveillance systems and training veterinarians in wildlife health and behaviour. The second phase aimed to train forest staff and existing veterinarians in conflict zones, along with developing forensic and legal capabilities.
However, little progress has been made since then. A senior forest official admitted that while coordination with the police in forensic investigations has improved, wildlife disease monitoring remains neglected.
“The interaction between cattle and wildlife is higher now compared to a decade ago. We are rescuing more animals from human habitats. Herbivores are sharing grazing spaces with domestic cattle, and spillovers are highly possible. There is no surveillance or monitoring to alert us,” DH quoted the official as saying.
At present, the Forest Department relies on just five veterinarians borrowed from the Animal Husbandry Department. Earlier proposals had recommended appointing 14 wildlife veterinarians, but officials now estimate that at least 25 to 30 are required to meet the growing demands.
Acknowledging the shortage, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre said that human-wildlife interactions are intensifying due to shrinking habitats, and specialised professionals are needed to manage wildlife conservation. “I will raise the matter during a meeting chaired by the chief minister. The government is also working to address the shortage of frontline staff,” DH quoted him as saying.
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PM Modi is controlled by Donald Trump, wants to do the same in TN: Rahul Gandhi
Ranipet (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was being "controlled" by US President Donald Trump and that the PM wanted the AIADMK to capture power so that he could control Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
Also, he claimed that the prime minister "handed out our energy security and gave away our data, besides selling our farmers and small and medium industries."
"You saw yesterday (in Parliament) the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi completely lacking confidence," Rahul said on the delimitation bill.
"He (PM) could not even face the opposition. He was sitting sideways. And the reason is, he is controlled by the United States. He signed the India-US deal that sold our country out," Rahul said while addressing an election rally here.
He further said, "Today, if Donald Trump tells Modi to jump, Modi jumps. If Donald Trump tells Modi to lie down, Modi lies down. Why? Because Donald Trump controls Modi fully. How does he control him? He controls through the Epstein files. He controls him because he knows Modi's financial systems and understands Modi's link with Adani," the Congress leader alleged.
Just as he was being controlled by Trump, Modi wanted to do the same to the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. "That is why he wants to put AIADMK in power in TN," Rahul said.
The Union government had rejected references to PM Modi in the latest Jeffrey Epstein case files, describing it as “little more than trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal that deserves to be dismissed with the utmost contempt”.
