Staff shortage prompts PTR to train Bagh Mitras for wildlife rescue

PILIBHIT: Faced with a shortage of field forest staff to handle wildlife rescue and management, authorities at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) have finalised a two-day training programme for 90 Bagh Mitras (friend of the tigers) to strengthen response to emergencies involving animals.The training is aimed at equipping the volunteers to assist in rescuing and managing small wild animals, herbivores and Schedule I species of reptiles, including snakes, turtles and crocodiles. The move also covers the Forest & Wildlife Division, grappling with limited manpower for wildlife-related operations.Bagh Mitras are rural volunteers who act as first responders when tigers stray into villages. With the reserve facing challenges such as poaching, illegal wildlife trafficking — particularly of turtles — accidental animal injuries and human-wildlife conflict, forest officials are seeking to build a trained support system for conservation and rescue work.PTR divisional forest officer Manish Singh said the reserve is home to 326 identified bird species, besides thousands of migratory birds that arrive every winter. "Many birds are injured after hitting high-tension power lines. Due to delayed information and lack of trained responders, rescue becomes difficult. We have decided to train the Bagh Mitras in avian rescue, rehabilitation and management," he said, adding experts from Jaipur-based wildlife trust Hope & Beyond would conduct the sessions.Singh said the Turtle Survival Alliance (India) Foundation would train participants in turtle rescue, identifying habitats, monitoring illegal trafficking and releasing rescued turtles into safer water bodies. He added that the training would also cover crocodile rescue, as incidents of crocodiles entering villages rise during the monsoon when rivers overflow. Experts would focus on techniques to prevent human casualties.Deputy director of Gorakhpur Zoo, Yogesh Singh, will train the volunteers in rescuing small mammals such as deer, antelopes and honey badgers, which are prone to stress-related complications. He will also conduct sessions on providing preliminary medical assistance and reducing stress in injured animals.