Sariska on alert after Covid infections at Hyderabad park

After eight Asiatic lions were found to be infected with the Covid-19 virus at Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park, the Rajasthan wildlife department has sounded alert in Alwar’s Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR).

The STR administration has asked the forest employees not allow the people from surrounding villages to bring cattle and other animals to water holes.

STR field director RN Meena said villagers on the reserve’s periphery were being informed through loud speakers to keep their cattle and other animals away from the wildlife animals in the reserve. The STR administration is also initiating a drive to vaccinate its entire staff. Only those staff members who test negative for the Covid-19 in the RT-PCR report will be assigned duties in the reserve. A small medical kit, including a thermometer and an oximeter, has been made available at the STR check-posts to ensure everyone’s safety, Meena said.

Rajasthan’s chief wildlife warden Mohanlal Meena in a virtual meeting with park officials asked them to stay alert and protect the wildlife from any Covid-related infection. He said all reserves and sanctuaries in the state have been shut for tourists since April 1, as per the orders by the Union ministry of environment and forest and National Tiger Conservation

Authority (NTCA).

As per the advisory released by the Union ministry of environment and forest and NTCA, the staff is advised to keep a track of wild animals and observe signs like respiratory issues, nasal discharge, laboured breathing via the camera trap. It states that personnel handling the tigers and other wildlife animals should be tested negative. The advisory also mentions that the age, sex and location of the dead animal should be recorded, while taking the sample for the Covid related post-mortem of the animal, while the staff takes the necessary action to protect themselves from the infection.