New home for rescued Slow Loris
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 03, 2012:
Following intervention from the Ministry of Environment and Forestand People For Animals (PFA) Chairperson Menaka Gandhi, Manipur Forest Department is set to release a rescued Bengal Slow Loris at Yangoupokpi wild life sanctuary in Chandel district bordering Myanmar.
The rare species was rescued by members of the Thoubal district PFA on June 12, said its managing trustee L Bishwajit Meitei.
The 15-month-old Loris was handed over to Manipur forest officials by the PFA functionaries at the latter's Thoubal office today.
Initially PFA Thoubal approached the State forest authority for the Loris' safety and requested for its release at Keibul Lamjao National Park in Bishnupur district, Bishwajit said.
The forest authority, however, advised the PFA to keep it at the State zoological garden saying that the park environment is not its natural habitat and other unprotected small forest areas are also dangerous for it as it will be a soft target for hunters and bigger animals.
"Since we don't want to keep the Loris in captivity like the enclosure of the State zoo, we wrote a letter to our chairperson Maneka Gandhi and she suggested us to consult with a Meghalaya-based group called Huro which deals with monkey rehabilitation," he added.
The Huro, while advising that the Loris be released at the Nokrek National Park in Meghalaya, intimated the PF A Thoubal for obtaining permission for transferring the schedule I animal from Manipur Chief Wild life Warden (CW W) Anilkumar.
However Manipur forest authority was not in favour of transferring the Loris to Meghalaya, Bishwajit said.
When the matter was brought to the notice of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, an expert was sent to Manipur to find out the most suitable place where the Loris would be freed.
After conducting a brief study at six spots across the State, the expert from the Central Zoo authority strongly recommended the Yangoupokpi wild life sanctuary as the best habitat for the Loris, Bishwajit said.
"Today we handed the Loris over to the State zoo authorities safe and sound.
While the Loris was in our custody we fed it with fruits like banana and ripe mangoes.
We also gave a pet name 'Nanao' to it," Bishwajit added.
When contacted, CWW Anilkumar said that the Loris would be released at the sanctuary either on Monday or Tuesday.