Assam’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), India’s first dedicated facility to hand-raise, treat and release orphaned and injured animals back into the wild, has stepped into its 25th year.
C. Located at Panbari near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, the CWRC was established on August 28, 2002, for science-based wildlife conservation. Over the years, the centre and its allied mobile veterinary service units have treated and released about 68% of more than 10,000 rescued animals back into the wild.
Ramesh, Kaziranga’s Field Director, said the CWRC’s contribution to the rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of Assam’s wildlife, especially animals in distress, has been invaluable. Otter pup at Assam’s Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Rathin Barman, WTI’s Joint Director, said the CWRC represents a journey of compassion, science and partnership. “From responding to wildlife emergencies to giving thousands of wild animals a second chance to return to the wild, CWRC has shown what is possible when conservation organisations and governments work together,” he said.
Apart from the Forest Department, he appreciated the support of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Central Zoo Authority and Guwahati’s College of Veterinary Science. Beyond emergency response, CWRC works closely with communities, conducting outreach to reduce human-animal conflict and strengthen community-led conservation efforts.
The CWRC’s Centre Manager and lead veterinarian, local communities played a major part in the centre’s conservation success story, according to Bhaskar Choudhury.
