The theme park at Ghorabandha that is likely to house the proposed rescue and rehabilitation centre

Jamshedpur, Oct. 11: The unfortunate death of a wounded and abandoned elephant calf has prompted the forest department to consider a rescue and rehabilitation centre for ailing wild animals in East Singhbhum.

The department will soon send a proposal to the Union forest and environment ministry. The facility is likely to come up at the forest theme park in Ghorabandha.

The resident veterinary doctors at the proposed centre will co-ordinate with wildlife experts from across the country to treat ailing animals and birds. The centre will not only extend medical services, but also deal with adverse situations such as flash floods that often take a toll on animals.

A senior forest official said that the Singhbhum region had a sizeable number of elephants, but there was no rescue and rehabilitation centre. As a result, the department had to either treat animals at a private zoo or let it die without proper treatment.

Six months ago, wildlife experts had to treat an ailing stork at Seraikela forest office. The bird, which had injuries in the head, recovered only because of extreme efforts of a section of forest officials.

A year ago, forest officials in West Singhbhum had rescued an injured leopard cub from the mining belt in Saranda. In the absence of a rehabilitation centre, the cub was kept in a motor garage for treatment and, finally, sent to Tata Steel Zoological Park. It, however, died on the way to the zoo.

On September 27, villagers in Ghatshila’s Rajabasa jungle found an elephant calf in an injured state. The calf was immediately taken in by Dhalbhum divisional forest officer A.T. Mishra. Named Raja, he was brought to Tata Steel Zoological Park for treatment. The calf, however, died two days ago.