Report of mission
Hurto Program
Silsotchigre Wildlife Rescue Center
8th March/14 May 2009

 

Introduction

These last two months have been marked, in particular by the concrete beginning of the in situ actions, notably of the rescue operations. Thus, five new residents could receive cares, food, love and shelter into the Program and our welcome facilities. Then, the organization of these two last and the staff has been also planned in order to provide to the individuals some optimum accomodation conditions. Finally, the operations of support to the local population and education have been also pursued, allowing, for example, recently to three children who had contracted malaria to receive cares and medicines.

I. Rescue operations : Development
 

• Rescue of Long-Night (Rhesus Macaque, Male juvenile)

Rescued on 13 March 2009 during a spotting of our staff in the Babadam area (West Garo Hills, Meghalaya), Long-Night was kept chained up during three years, fed only with rice... Arrived at the center in an advanced malnutrition state, presenting a serious lack in proteins that caused a partial hair removal and a protérozoic infection, he is at present in good health and find out day after day a better appearance.

2. Rescue of Dawn. (Western Hoolock Gibbon, male juvenile)   

Rescued on 28 of March 2009 in a betelnuts plantation in the center of Tura, Dawn escaped from the cage where he was kept since several weeks. The first Hoolock Gibbon welcomed at the center arrived shocked, but in a reasonnable state of health, presenting a moderate malnutrition. He is now in full health and isd waiting patiently his shifting in rehabilitation aviary.

• Rescue of Espoir (W Hoolock Gibbon, Male adult)

 

Rescued on 7 April 2009 in Dobu Ringri Gittim village (East Garo Hills) during a spotting of our staff in the same area. In the same area where the owner of Dawn told that she was bought for 2500 IRPS (around 45 euros). Adult, Espoir has been captured by the villagers with a catapult. He arrived at the center in a critical state of health, notably a serious infection at the level of the right part of his face due to the impact of the stone. However, thanks to a short captivity (not more than 3 days before our intervention) and some urgent cares, Espoir recovered day after day some might and a normal face... Remaining wild and already adult he was transferred on 13 April 2009 in a rehabilitation aviary where at six meters high he recovered some freedom and a new joie de vivre, even answering to the calls from the wild Gibbons.

• Rescue of Emeraude (Emy, Western Hoolock Gibbon, newborn female)

Spontaneously left to the authorities from the Forest Deparment of William Nagar (East Garo Hills) following her capture, when her mother was murdered, Emy was rescued by our staff on the evening 13 April 2009. Arrived at the center in a critical state of health, presenting serious dehydratation and hypoglicemia causing hypothermia, and something like a paralysis of the legs. Being not able to move, feeling any sensation, she received important cares and a permanent attention. At present, she can move her legs and feels sensations even if her left leg remains weak. She became without a doubt the mascot of the center, Emy gets someone exclusively for her, permanent time with her (like the mums of LOLA YA) providing her cares and love that she needs.

• Rescue of Saphir (Assamese Maccaque, newborn female)

 

Rescued on 1st May 2009 folowing a spotting in Edenbari area, Spahir was kept chained up for several weeks after her capture. Arived at the center in a relative good state of health thanks to a short duration of detention, she recovered quickly all her vitality and joined Golum and Bilbo after a lungs xray and some negative hepathic tests.

Thus, at present the center welcomes 7 residents including 3 Western Hoolock Gibbons, 1 Rhesus Maccaque, 1 Eat-crab Maccaque and 2 Assamese Maccaques.

 

II Organization of the staff and welcome structures : Development

• Organization of the Huro Program staff

 

The field staff has several purposes. First, the one to be efficient in matter of rescue and seizure, that is often far to be easy notably when we meet adult individuals whose owners are resistant to their rescue. These operations ask a permanent adaptation and some tact, as for the management of the owners as for the individuals, this knowing that oftenly we do not beneficiate from the support of the Department of Forest, as it was the case for the five last rescue...In matter of post rescue management of the individuals our staff has to be able to:

                        ° Provide the necessary cares
                        ° Elaborate a feeding, medical and behavioral follow up
° Provide an accomodation the nearest as possible from the natural needs of the individuals.
° Manage the stress of the individuals specially the newborn.
° Understand our mission and the fact that each individual received at the Program is precious and is welcomed at the center in the aim of recovering freedom.
° Manage the zoonosis.

At present composed of a manager, three care helpers and temporarely of two local veterinary doctors flanked by the Director of the Program, this staff proved that it integrated the essential notions for the acomplishment of the mission remaining conscious of the necessary improvements.

• Organization of the welcome structures

 

Composed of a care center comprising a quarantine area in Tura and a station comprising a rehabilitation part at Silsotchigre (Nokrek Biosphere Reserve), our structures are organized as following:

                        2.1 Clinic :

Divided into two rooms (office and cares room), our care center has for vocation the provision of cares and the medical and behavioral follow up of our residents and it is equiped with the basis equipment (refrigerator, sterilizers, medical and surgery equipment, medicines, work plans, cares table, desk and computer, convalescence cage...) necessary for their realization.
                       
                        2.2 Quarantine complex

Created in view to limit the transmission of the zoonosis and in order to provide daily cares, medical and behavioral follow up to our residents, it is now composed of two quarantine cages and a quarantine room, each equiped with a ventilation system and an independent evacuation. Moreover, between each accomodation and at each entry of the complex some pediluves (desinfection boxes) are used. Add that these accommodations are integraly desinfected two times per day.

                        2.3 Station and rehabilitation aviaries

Settled on the land from Silsotchigre village inside Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, the rehabilitation complex of the Program welcomes at present an adult male Western Hoolock Gibbon in a rehabilitation process (Espoir). Conceived to avoid the contacts between Man and Animals and to propose an environment near from the natural habitat to the individuals, we do not allow in any case visitors on the site, strangers from the Program or the Forest authorities. Add that the station is near from a wild Gibbons territory, allowing some vocal contacts for our residents (Espoir having already delimit his aviary by calling in answer of the calls from the wild Gibbons).
                       
III Support to the local population and education

Our Program is settled on the boundaries of northeast India in an area that even the Indians themselves are aggreed to qualifiate as remote. Thus, each attention from our part towards the local people takes on a special importance which we are totally aware. In spite of the torments that represent the sending from France to India, we hope to receive more than 400 kilos of clothes collected by the Zoological Park Le Pal and that will be distributed by our staff in the areas that need it, notably Silsotchigre and in the Biosphere Reserve area. Moreover, we are still in hope to take under the responsbility of the Program the private school of Silsotchigre village in order that it becomes the first one free of the area, then including an education to conservation of the local biodiversity. All is ready, including a memorandum however due to a financial lack, the date originally previous on 1st May 2009 had to be moved back. Finally, the epidemics of malaria coming with the first rains of moonson began to appear. The program paid for three children from Silsotchigre village, respectively aged of 2, 3 and 12 years old, transport, cares and necessary medicines and have now recover health.

 

Conclusion :

If the Huro Program has well progessed these last time, registring some results somehow positive, however we face a sad situation regarding the wildlife traffic always more present...We have to answer to a constant increase, forcing us to extend our staff and our welcome capacity, that shows the work remaining to do in matter of conservation before to hope to slow down the threats hanging over wildlife. I call personally to the persons and different institutions. We need some people to relay our field actions in France and abroad...We need some goodwills to join us on the field and to fight on our side...Finally, we need medical equipment, clothes, scholar equipment and financial support from every side. Each, with your possibilities, you can contribute to the improvment of the Program and to the realization of its actions.

 

President of SVAA and Director of the Huro Program