A rescued Himalayan black bear christened, Khengpa Nado, is recovering at the recently established wildlife Clinic and Laboratory in Taba, Thimphu. The 12-month-old cub’s black coat of fur and that he was found from Zhemgang earned him the name.
Khengpa Nado was rescued from Zhemgang town’s street when he was just two months old. His left ear was severely infected. The cub’s ear had to be removed for him to survive.
Like Khengpa Nado, the clinic has rescued more than 60 wild animals even though the team did not have a proper office. The office was established only on January 30, 2015.
The Deputy Chief Forest Officer, Kuenzang Gyeltshen said most animals are trapped in snares set by farmers to protect their crops.
“…So many untargeted animals get trapped in snares. So, the rescue teams are compelled to save the lives of the animals. ”
The clinic, set-up by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, will also carry out research and experiment to avoid zoonosis diseases from spreading to humans.
The rescued animals are kept in an enclosure for two weeks. However, Khengpa Nado’s case is different. The team feels since the cub has been living with them for a long time, it wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild on its own.
Forestry officials say they would want to recreate natural habitat for animals like Khengpa Nado, however, given the budget constraints, the plan is unlikely to come through.
