Jamdarpara, April 2, 2023: Wildlife Trust if India’s MVS-WA (Kokrajhar) unit received a call the Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Division, Kokrajhar on August 23, 2022 about an injured golden langur. The animal was spotted atop a tree near Jamdarpara village, around two kilometers from the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, Kokrajhar, Assam.

The team had found that the animal had a fracture on its left hind limb. The injured individual was not able to move and this had also resulted in its separation from the troop. The cause of the fracture was not certain. Without much delay, the MVS team tranquilized and brought down the golden langur. The animal was safely rescued, and shifted to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), Kaziranga for treating the fracture. A surgery was done on August 27^th at CWRC.

Rescued Golden Langur in MVS Kokrajhar | Photograph by Daoharu Baro/WTI

The animal was kept in the small sized cage for about three months’ post operation to restrict the movement and for close observation. Later the animal was moved to a larger enclosure at the MVS-WA, Kokrajhar. On March 11, 2023, the decision was taken to release the golden langur back to its habitat of Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, Kokrajhar. Shortly after the release, the langur moved deep into the forest. However, the team is still keeping a track of the animal’s movement.

The Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) project envisages the deployment of trained wildlife veterinarians in important national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across India to ensure that 24×7, quality veterinary support is made available to such displaced wildlife, which is often in distress.

CWRC is the only facility in India, where orphaned and/or injured wild animals of several species are hand-raised and/or treated and subsequently returned to the wild. Jointly run with the Assam Forest Department, the centre is supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and HCL Foundation.