Hidden under vegetable crates in Nandurbar smuggling racket, four Indian foxes return to the wild after rescue

Pune: Nearly two months after five Indian foxes were rescued from an alleged wildlife trafficking operation in Nandurbar district, four of them have been successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

The foxes were among the animals recovered when a joint team of the Nandurbar police and forest department intercepted a tempo on NH-53 near Navapur in April. Hidden beneath crates of vegetables, the foxes were allegedly being transported to Gujarat as part of an illegal wildlife trade network. The seizure had led to the arrest of three individuals and the rescue of hundreds of birds and other wildlife.

Following the rescue, the foxes were transferred by the Nandurbar forest department to the Wildlife Transit Treatment Centre (TTC) operated by Pune-based RESQ Charitable Trust for treatment and rehabilitation.

Neha Panchamiya, founder of RESQ Charitable Trust, said the animals arrived in poor condition after their time in captivity.

“Stress and disease, the predictable consequences of housing wild canids in captivity, were evident on their arrival. A detailed health assessment was followed by structured rehabilitation. One fox did not survive. The remaining four completed all their rehabilitation milestones and cleared all health checks. They recovered sufficiently for release and were returned to the wild,” said Panchamiya.

“The Nandurbar forest department secured the court order for their release and as per directions from the chief wildlife warden, the foxes were reintroduced into a safe and protected wildlife habitat,” she added.

The release marks the final chapter in a case that highlighted the continued threat posed by wildlife trafficking in Maharashtra. Wildlife rescuers said the successful return of the four foxes to their natural habitat was made possible through coordinated efforts between enforcement agencies, forest officials, veterinarians and rehabilitation teams, although one of the animals unfortunately fell prey to the stress caused by the illegal activity.