End to eight-day ordeal: Jackal with head stuck in plastic jar rescued in Howrah
Times of India | 22 October 2024
12 Kolkata: A golden jackal, also known as the common jackal and protected under the country’s wildlife act, was rescued from the border of Shyampur and Bagnan in Howrah on Sunday night after roaming in the area for eight days with its head stuck in a plastic container.
The jackal was released back into its natural habitat near the Damodar river soon after the successful rescue operation that was carried out by the forest department, in collaboration with three local conservationists — Chitrak Pramanik, Palash Pradhan, and Sumanta Das.
According to Pramanik, a local fisherman first reported the jackal with its head stuck in a plastic jar on the day of Dashami, Oct 13, while he was fishing in the Damodar river near Deoantola village on the Bagnan-Shyampur border.
“Immediately after receiving the news, we informed the department and started scanning the local forest areas, especially those located near the river and the local cremation grounds,” stated Pramanik.
Finally, on Sunday evening, Pradhan spotted the distressed jackal wandering in a field in the Choyani village under Bagnan PS, approximately three kilometres from the initial sighting location on Dashami.
“Pradhan captured the jackal by holding its hind legs and secured it inside a local garage to prevent its escape. We then informed the forest department officials, which dispatched a team to the location,” said Pramanik.
The trio, along with the department staff, then removed the container.
“The jackal was in a weakened state, so we initially provided it with water mixed with ORS. Shortly after consuming the solution, it stood up on its feet, at which point we initiated the process of releasing it back into the wild,” said Rajesh Mukherjee, range officer of Uluberia division.
Pramanik said the jackal was also offered some chicken before its release.
The jackal was ultimately released in the vicinity of the Damodar river. “It’s a positive outcome that we were able to successfully release it back into its natural habitat,” added Mukherjee.
The golden jackal is a native species to the Indian subcontinent. It is an omnivore that eats small mammals, birds, fish, hares and fruits. It is a territorial animal that hunts in groups, and is nocturnal if it lives near humans.