NASHIK: The Nashik Forest Department and Eco Echo Foundation jointly rescued a hyena cub from Donwade village of Nashik on April 21. The cub was born a few days ago and was found in a farmland. The cub has now grown and become healthier after it is under the observation of RESQ Charitable Trust of Pune.
The team is working on making the cub fit for the wild and is now taking jungle lessons there. When the cub was found it was eight to 15 days old and was weak. It is currently under the observation of experts. The experts also tried for a reunion of the mother and cub. The Wildlife Warden of Nashik, Vaibhav Bhogale, informed that this was the first instance where they found a hyena cub.
It was under observation at Eco Echo Foundation for few days. It was being taken care of by the volunteers there. The cub was being fed five times a day. The forest department and Echo Echo Foundation made every possible move for the reunion of the cub with its mother. Unfortunately, the reunion failed as the mother never showed up.
Thereafter, the cub was sent to RESQ Charitable Trust, situated in Pune. The cub has been kept in open habitat there. It is kept in a special facility made like the natural habitat of the hyenas. It is now growing there with other rescued animals. No human interference or interaction is made with the cub. It will be released in the natural habitat once the experts found it fit for the wild.
Cubs united in recent incident
Three hyena cubs were found in a field in Shivde Shivar of the Sinnar taluka. One of them was found dead as its condition was critical. The other two cubs were handed over to the Forest Department. However, a joint effort by Nashik Forest Department, Eco Eco Foundation, and Nashik and Grassline Trust of Pune succeeded in reuniting the mother with its cub on the fourth day. Both the cubs rested in their mother’s arms after successful attempts of reunion. This is considered to be the first incident in the country where hyena cubs were reunited its mother.
“The cub is under the observation of experts. It is being kept in isolation. No human involvement or interference is made to keep its wild instincts as it is. It is kept in a special barn made as a natural habitat of hyenas. It will be soon released in the wild once.” – Abhijeet Mahale, RESQ Charitable Trust