An animal enclosure at the rescue, treatment and rehabilitation centre for wildlife that is getting ready in Pethikuttai reserve forest in Sirumugai range.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A veterinary team has been constituted for Tamil Nadu’s first rescue, treatment and rehabilitation centre (RTRC) for wildlife that is coming up in Pethikuttai reserve forest in Sirumugai forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division.
Forest Veterinary Assistant Surgeon E. Vijayaraghavan will head the team, comprising a Veterinary Assistant and a Livestock Inspector. Personnel have been appointed or the first two posts.
District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj said final stage works of RTRC, including landscaping and a few remaining constructions, were going on at Pethikuttai. The works are expected to be completed within a few weeks.
He said various machineries and medical equipment have been installed at the centre that has an automatic device to lift large herbivores like elephants for treatment.
The RTRC will have four zones – human, quarantine, lifetime care, and rehabilitation – for the rescue and treatment of injured, orphaned, and ailing wild animals.
According to Mr. Jayaraj, a Forest Range Officer will exclusively take care of the centre. The total staff strength will range from 10 t0 12, who will work in three shifts at the centre, which is located on the banks of the water storage area of the Bhavanisagar reservoir.
Chief Conservator of Forests D. Venkatesh and Mr. Jayaraj are monitoring the works of the centre, which is coming up on 21 acres in the initial stage out of the 131 acres earmarked for the project. The State government has allotted a total of ₹19.5 crore for the project.
Published – December 03, 2025 09:45 pm IST
