[ Bengia Ajum ]
SEIJOSA, 16 Aug: An orthopaedic surgery was successfully conducted to fix an internal plate to repair the fractured bone of a female sub-adult Chinese pangolin at the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation & Conservation (CBRC) of the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) here in Pakke-Kessang district.
The surgery was conducted by a team led by CBRC Head Dr Panjit Basumatary and Lakhimpur (Assam)-based College of Veterinary Assistant Professor Dr Mridu Pavan Baishya.
The pangolin had been rescued from the roadside near VKV Tinali here by PTR staffer Habeel Tallang. He brought it to the CBRC for care and treatment.
The pangolin was unable to move due to its condition. Upon arriving at the facility, she went into a comatose condition for an hour. It was after supportive treatment that she started breathing intermittently, but was still unable to move her head.
The pangolin is suspected to have been a victim of a road hit. Her X-ray revealed complete fracture of the right femur bone and severe spinal injuries in the lumbar region.
“The operation took three hours, and it was quite a challenging task for the team. The animal is currently under close observation and care at the CBRC facility,” informed Dr Basumatary.
The pangolin is now showing signs of recovery. “We hope for the fracture to heal soon, and that the animal can return to the wild,” Dr Basumatary said.
PTR DFO Satyaprakash Singh lauded the rescue and treatment of the pangolin by the forest department and the CBRC, and appealed to the public to drive their vehicles carefully to avert hitting and injuring/killing animals on the road.
The CBRC is jointly run by the PTR park authority, the environment, forest & climate change department, and the Wildlife Trust of India, supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Kirloskar Ebara Pumps Ltd.
