Green Minute News:
Karnataka will soon have a separate “Wildlife Veterinary Cadre” and in this regard, a proposal has been sent to the Finance Department by the state Ministry of Forests, Environment and Ecology.
With rising human-wildlife conflicts in and around protected areas and also territorial areas, the creation of a separate and dedicated cadre of wildlife vets has become imperative. Incidents of death of tigers (by poisoning), elephants (electrocution), leopards (snaring) too have risen while attacks on humans have become frequent in the south interior districts of Karnataka. Added to this, there have been incidents of botched up capture operations resulting in the death of tiger cubs, wrong treatment to camp elephants, etc.
SHORTAGE OF WILDLIFE VETS
In a note on 30.10.2025, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister, Eshwar Khandre has stated, “It has come to our notice that there is a shortage of veterinary doctors in the state’s various zoos, elephant camps and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centres. Currently, veterinary doctors are either being deputed from Animal Husbandry Department or hired on contract basis.”
He further states, “Recently, Sakrebailu Elephant Camp, Shivamogga saw four elephants suffering from various ailments and Balanna (a tusker) who participated in the Shivamogga Dasara procession, had to undergo amputation of his right earlobe. This was indeed, a very painful incident for us.”
Apart from this, there have been incidents of straying of wild tigers and elephants into human habitation. Further, the capture of wild tigers and jumbos has been facing a lot of issues due to the severe shortage of wildlife vets in the conduct of these operations as also in darting (too many times) these wild animals.
In this background, the Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre states, “There is a need to form a “separate cadre” of wildlife veterinary doctors and further, there is an urgent need to appoint expert wildlife veterinarians. In this regard, a proposal for the creation of a new cadre is being forwarded to the Finance Department for approval.”
A LONG-PENDING CADRE CREATION
The demand for formation of a separate wildlife veterinary cadre has been there since more than a decade. In 2012, eight posts of vets were created and a few posts were filled up on deputation from Animal Husbandry Department and on contract basis. However, all the 8 sanctioned post were never completely filled resulting in unscientific and ineffective wildlife management. Presently, there are only five vets in Karnataka Forest Department and out of the five, only two are wildlife veterinary doctors.
MADHYA PRADESH SHOWS THE WAY
In the last 15 years, there has been a surge in wildlife conflicts, disease outbreaks and illegal poaching and hunting of wildlife in Karnataka. In contrast, Madhya Pradesh with the highest population of tigers has been in the forefront of managing wildlife scientifically and effectively. This in fact, led to the creation of a separate cadre of wildlife vets after Covid period in Madhya Pradesh.
SURGING HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS
The last two decades, Karnataka has witnessed a lot of human and wildlife deaths as due to habitat loss & infrastructure development, many tigers, leopards, gaurs bears and jumbos (in large numbers) have been straying into human settlements, thereby causing an acute conflict situation.
Further, the botched-up capture operations, in the last 20 years, have led to death of big cats, gaur, sloth bear and jumbos in their respective protected areas and territorial areas of Karnataka. Due to poisoning, electrocution, snaring, placement of country bombs in fruits, many a wildlife like elephants, bears, big cats have died and there has been a big lacuna in dealing with these issues.
Welcoming the formation of a separate cadre of wildlife veterinary doctors by Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, wildlife activists and conservationists said this long-pending cadre creation should be done immediately as the present conflict situation has become unmanageable due to lack of experienced wildlife vets.
Apart from this, the creation of a separate cadre will make wildlife vets accountable and responsible for wildlife management unlike the deputed and contractual vets in Karnataka, activists added.