Immunization camp for domestic animals around Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary

AMEET OBEROI
GANGTOK, 24 Feb: An Immunization Camp for domestic animals in the fringe villages of Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary was organised by the East Wildlife Division, Department of Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management at Lingtam Block [upper Martam] today.
The people living in the villages around the Fambonghlo Wildlife Sanctuary have domestic animals which are let loose for grazing in the nearby forest areas and we don’t want these animals to transmit diseases to the wild animals falling within the Sanctuary area, informed Assistant Conservator of Forest, Fambonghlo Wildlife Sanctuary, ST Bhutia while speaking to NOW! today.
This is being done basically as a preventive measure and the animals are being vaccinated against the Foot & Mouth Disease [FMD] as this is a highly contagious disease and can be transmitted to the wild animals if they come in contact with the domestic animals, he added.
Another reason for selecting these villages are that the people from these villages earn their livelihood by selling meat, milk and milk products and thus have a lot of domestic animals, so as a precautionary measure, the Forest Department is holding this vaccination camp, the ACF stated.
We have covered more than 30 households and have vaccinated more than a 100 animals [cows and goats] falling in this village, said Veterinary Officer, Zoo and Wildlife, FE&WM Department, Dr. Karma Doma Bhutia. We are vaccinating the animals to protect them from the highly contagious Foot & Mouth Disease, she added.
This is being done to save wildlife as it is not possible for us to go after wild animals within the Sanctuary, so it is better to vaccinate the domestic animals living around the Sanctuary area, she informed.
She was accompanied by Compounder Sohn Tshering Lepcha, a Veterinary Stockman from the Department of Animal Husbandry and one more helper to help vaccinate the animals.
We are very thankful to the Forest Department, the doctors and the Wildlife Officers for taking such a step in saving not only our domestic animals but also saving wildlife, stated Ward Panchayat, Lingtam Block, upper Martam, SP Machongpa. This is a good scheme of the government and equally very helpful for the villagers, he added.
The vaccination camp is a totally centrally sponsored scheme and is being carried out by the Forest, Environment & Wildlife Management Department with a fund of Rs. 40,000. On 25 February, the vaccination camp will be carried out in Ranka and then on 26 February it will be done in Dhanbari, informed RO Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, Jigme Bhutia.