Rare male musk deer rescued in Gurez; black bear captured alive in Bandipora

Bandipora, Apr 24: In two major wildlife operations on Friday, the Wildlife Department rescued a rare male musk deer near the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez Valley and captured a black bear alive in Bandipora town, officials said.

An official said the musk deer, locally known as “Roose Kat”, was rescued from Wanpora village in Gurez after the department received information about its presence in the area.

Wildlife official Tanveer Ahmad said that a team immediately rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. The animal was carefully trapped and captured alive without causing any harm.

“The musk deer was safely rescued and shifted to Ajas Range for further rehabilitation, from where it was referred to Dachigam Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre for proper treatment and medical care,” Ahmad said.

In a separate operation on Friday morning, the department successfully captured a black bear alive from the Hudbal Ahama Shareef area of Bandipora district, officials said.

They said the timely intervention helped avert any potential human-wildlife conflict in the area, ensuring the safety of both local residents and the wild animal.

The department said both operations reflect its continued efforts to protect rare and endangered wildlife species while maintaining safety in human habitations.

Officials also appreciated the cooperation of local residents and urged people to immediately inform the Wildlife Department whenever wild animals are spotted to ensure timely rescue measures can be taken. (KNS)