Proposed Uttarakhand hospital for tigers and leopards still remains on paper

DEHRADUN:  A hospital was supposed to be established in 2017 to treat injured and ageing tigers, leopards, and other animals as a result of the history of human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand, but even five years later, the plan is still buried in the files because of division and factionalism among IFS officers. An animal hospital for wildlife was to be set up in the proposed zoo park in Haldwani. 

The central government also released Rs 18 crore for the hospital in 2017.  Chief wildlife warden Sameer Sinha said, “The matter was reported to me during my visit to Haldwani only after I took over, we also held a meeting on it. The plan will be completed soon”.

Sinha further said, “We are already working on two plans, a long-term and a short-term plan, till this project comes into existence. The state government has already prepared a long-term plan, but in the meantime awareness and ‘quick response’ are part of the short-term plans that are currently in process.”

 Human-wildlife conflict is becoming a serious problem in Uttarakhand. The heavy machinery of the state forest department appears helpless in the face of this very serious problem.  In the recently concluded assembly session, Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal also confirmed that wild animals have killed 161 people in the last three years, with the highest number of deaths due to leopard attacks. 

Another reason was that this veterinary hospital was desperately needed to treat tigers and other animals in the western circle of the forest adjacent to the Corbett Tiger Reserve.  According to sources, there was also a plan to increase the family of birds in this veterinary hospital, such as breeding centres of vultures and eagles.

According to a research paper, “Human-Wildlife Conflict” by DS Meena, DP Bulani, M M Bisht and DS Pundir, 1,396 leopards have been killed in the state during the last 20 years till 2020.  The cause of his death was believed to be poaching, accidents, burning by forest fires, road or rail accidents, being killed due to being a man-eater and conflict.

According to the wildlife institute’s report, 648 leopards have died due to natural death.   At least 65 were killed when they were declared man-eaters. While, 41 were killed by poachers, 212 due to unknown 
reasons and 152 were killed in accidents.