Goa has strengthened its wildlife rescue and care system with the launch of its first round-the-clock temporary transit treatment facility for injured wild animals in Ponda. The new facility provides immediate medical attention and stabilisation to rescued wildlife before officials release the animals back into their natural habitat.
Immediate Care for Rescued Wildlife
The Goa Forest Department has operationalised the new facility in Ponda to provide timely treatment to injured wild animals. Earlier, rescue teams transported all rescued animals to Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary for veterinary attention, regardless of the severity of their injuries.
The new Ponda facility brings forest personnel, veterinarians and wildlife rescuers together to provide immediate care. The teams work around the clock to assess rescued animals, stabilise their condition and determine whether they can return safely to the wild.
Officials check the animals’ health parameters before release. When an animal requires further medical intervention, the facility admits and treats it on-site, reducing delays in critical cases.
The move strengthens Goa’s response to wildlife emergencies by bringing initial treatment closer to rescue locations. It can also reduce the stress caused by transporting injured animals over longer distances.
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Goa Plans Permanent Wildlife Hospital
The Forest Department currently operates the Ponda centre as a temporary transit unit while it works towards a permanent wildlife hospital complex at Bethora.
The proposed facility will include a veterinary hospital with surgical facilities, an operation theatre, diagnostic laboratories and dedicated areas for animal observation and quarantine. The plan also includes emergency stabilisation facilities to support more complex wildlife cases.
Goa is also preparing to introduce an advanced wildlife rescue ambulance in collaboration with RESQ Charitable Trust. The specialised ambulance will carry veterinary equipment and trained personnel to provide medical support during rescue operations.
The mobile unit will allow teams to provide treatment closer to the rescue site, particularly when they handle severely injured or large-bodied animals.
With the Ponda transit centre already operational and plans moving ahead for a permanent wildlife hospital, Goa is expanding its wildlife-care infrastructure and strengthening emergency support for animals across the state.
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