GUWAHATI: The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Panbari near Kaziranga has completed 25 years of dedicated service to wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation in Assam.
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Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah highlighted the milestone in a post on X, noting that the centre has handled more than 10,000 wildlife rescue cases since its establishment on August 28, 2002.
Nearly 68 per cent of the animals rescued by CWRC have been successfully treated and released back into the wild.
Over the past 25 years, the centre has cared for injured, orphaned and displaced wildlife, including rhino calves, Asiatic black bear cubs, hoolock gibbons and wild buffaloes.
The work involves veterinarians, conservation experts, local animal keepers and Mobile Veterinary Service teams, who provide round-the-clock care to rescued animals and help them regain natural behaviours before their release into suitable habitats.
CWRC has also strengthened its wildlife rescue operations during Assam’s recurring floods. Its teams work with the Assam Forest Department to provide emergency veterinary care to animals stranded, injured or displaced by floodwaters, while also attempting to reunite young animals with their mothers.
Over the years, the centre’s rehabilitation efforts have supported several conservation initiatives, including the reintroduction of rhinos into Manas National Park and wildlife rehabilitation programmes across protected areas such as Manas, Dibru-Saikhowa and Dihing Patkai.
Highlighting the centre’s journey, Baruah said CWRC has given injured, orphaned and displaced animals a second chance at life, with its efforts contributing significantly to Assam’s wildlife conservation landscape.
The 25-year milestone marks a quarter-century of rescue and rehabilitation work aimed at returning wildlife to their natural habitats and strengthening conservation efforts across the state.